Spiral
by Akkiko
Summary: AU. Axel and Reno, two brothers with their destinies on the spiral. On modern day Earth, a shadowed Organization will use every possible method to coerce the two teens to bring their plans to fruition. Two words: Not happening. Yaoi, AkuRoku,RenoRude,SxR
1. Spiraling

**Author's notes:** Inspired by Emixo0 (don't quote me on the spelling of the name) who is an artist on DA, so respectfully, credit of inspiration goes to them. I formulated a half baked plot, my muses did the rest. God help us all.

**Summary: **Reno and Axel, two brothers attending Highschool in the town of Twilight have their existence torn apart by the discovery of falsities, masks and hidden agendas. A hidden group of beings called Nobodies (BATHE IN MY ORIGINALITY) plan to use the hidden skills of the two to bring their plans of vision to fruition, but in the words of Reno; Fuck that yo!

**Warnings:** Swears, violence, gore, lime (possible, it's in debate), graphic scenes, yaoi (boyxboy love), CRACK, stupid humor, turtles.  
… Yes you read that right. TURTLES.

**Pairings:** RenoxRude, AxelxRoxas, Axelx?, Demyxx?, SeiferxLeon, as well as multiple random and short CRACK pairings.  
_Subject to change._

**Disclaimer:** I got plot and OCs… the rest of it belongs to… not me. … Demy-kuuuuun… :weep: XD

* * *

**Prologue**

"This isn't cool yo…"

"S-shut up! You're the one who said we should get them…"

"You didn't have to _let_ me! What kind of brother are you?!"

"YOU'RE OLDER."

"By a frickin' year and three months…"

"Still older."

"Shut the fuck up yo."

"Whatever you say, YO."

"Oh now you're askin' for it bastard…"

Punching his brother playfully in the shoulder, perhaps with a little more force then necessary, Reno Kusobata, age 19 and a college student started up the stairs to their town house. Axel Kusobata, age 18 and graduating Highschool in a mere 2 and a half months followed with a growl and a swipe at his brother's head, one Reno artfully dodged while flipping him off.

"Bastard, you should so do dishes for this." Axel muttered as he rubbed the skin beneath his eyes in a surly manner. The crests of his cheeks were marred by two flipped teardrops, surrounded by red and irritated skin, it was quite clearly a fresh set of tattoos.

His brother waited for him to get to the next landing, then, with an irritated frown, quite calmly slapped the back of his brother's head.

Startled, Axel pitched forward slightly, then growled, holding the back of his head.

"W-what the fuck?!" He snarled and Reno sighed.

"Dumbass, don't rub them, you're just going to irritate them even more yo." He said simply and continued up the stairs. "Besides, its your turn for dishes."

"Dammit, no it's not!"

"Actually it is, unless you want mom finding out you skipped class little bro."

Snarling actual irritation this time, Axel dashed up the stairs after his brother.

"Oh you blackmailing whore-!" He called in a challenging tone as he raced up the rickety stairwell after his brother who took off laughing. Reno, his own cheeks smarting slightly as the red dyed skin beneath his eyes, fashioned to look like a pair of scars were fresh off the tattoo parlor's needle, skidded to a stop as his worn sneakers hit the smooth metal wires that fashioned the floor.

"You're too slow yo!"

"I'm gonna beat your punk ass down!" Axel snarled as he saw Reno pull out his keys and jam them into the door knob. "Get back here you puke maggot!" He yelled as Reno laughed and dashed inside the minute the door was open, effectively slamming the door in Axel's face.

And nose.

"Ow- you frickin'-!" The redhead stumbled back cursing rapidly as one hand held his now bloody nose, his other groping for the door handle. Seizing upon the brass knob, he slammed the door open with a yell of;

"RENO!" Then blinked, there, standing in front of the entrance to the kitchen was his brother, wide eyed and pale. Raising a finely trimmed eyebrow, Axel strode forward kicking the door shut behind him.

"… Reno?" He asked, his voice nasal. "What the fuck? Did dad try cooking again?" He asked sarcastically as he stopped beside his brother. Reno said nothing, still staring, dumbstruck. Axel was half convinced his brother might start drooling.

"… Uh… Reno? Bro? What the fuck?" He called, waving his hand in front of his brother's face with his free hand. His expression turning irritated. "Dude what the hell is wrong?" He finally demanded turning to look at the kitchen.

His body went numb.

Red splashed across the white tiles, the sink, filled with water had been dyed dark as crimson drops dripped from the top of the faucet into the water, sending ripples across the poisoned water.

Everything seemed so normal, the chairs were neatly tucked in, the table still had it's ridiculous plate of fruit in the center, the curtains just slightly pulled apart.

Except everything had been painted red. And there were two bodies on the ground.

"… mom?" Axel whispered, he couldn't even recognize the mutilated face anymore.

"There you are." A voice interrupted and Axel jumped, turning immediately to the hallway that led to their rooms, he found a thin male garbed completely in a deep black trench coat, the hood completely concealing his face.

"W-who the hell are you?" Axel snarled as he grabbed his brother's sleeve and yanked, Reno didn't move.

"A better question… who are you?"

"Did you do this?!" Axel demanded as he pulled again, harder this time. Reno under the force of the pull fell behind Axel, startled.

"Perhaps." He paused as he walked up to them, frozen, his legs numb, Axel only watched as the man stopped in front of them, then glanced casually into the kitchen, then back at the redhead. "… Hmm… you're Azel?" The man questioned calmly, a hint of arrogance in his voice as he reached up and gently fingered Axel's new tattoo with a gloved finger. Axel growled at the touch.

"It's Axel fucker, and here's rule number 1; don't touch me." He snarled and slammed his knee into the man's nether regions. "Got it memorized?"

The man cursed as he bent over, at which Axel all too happily delivered a drop kick with the bottom of his heel to the man's head. The man crashed to the floor with a groan of pain, with which Axel spun around, and dragging Reno behind him dashed for the door.

"A-Axel slow down!" Reno called numbly, but rather then reply, Axel simply yanked him forward, forcing Reno to run faster.

"D-dammit! Two! Stop them!" The fallen man snapped in a hoarse voice.

Calmly, a man stepped out of the living room and into their path.

"Well this is no good…" The man commented chuckling. Skidding to a stop, Axel snarled and stumbled once when Reno hit his back with a solid thump.

Frowning, Axel glanced back at Reno, then stared at the new man.

"That trench coat thing a fad nowadays for psychotic murderers?" Axel muttered as he stared at the man who wore an exact copy of the last one's coat.

The figure chuckled again.

"Oh dear… you haven't been a very good couple of boys have you?"

"Shut the hell up and get out of my way!" Axel snarled.

For a moment the man said nothing, then shook his head.

"Too bad, it would have been fun to bring you alive." The man commented idly as he pulled a single hand out of his jacket pocket. Axel's eyes widened.

"Let me remind you of just who you're dealing with kid." He said smiling as he held up his hand, Axel stared, confounded as a sphere of dark light suddenly materialized in the man's hand.

"What the-?" He whispered in shock as it suddenly materialized into a form with multiple spikes protruding from a ring, discomforted, Axel realized the longest spike was pointed at him.

"DOWN." Reno suddenly yelled, completely taking Axel by surprise as his brother tackled him from behind, sending both redheads to the ground as a shot of purple light flared from the man's weapon and flashed overhead.

"Get off jerk, you're heavy…" Axel gasped as he glanced up.

"Sorry…" Reno muttered as he slid off, his eyes warily on the man who laughed.

"Good! You still have fight, this'll be fun!" He called as he aimed his weapon once more at them.

Axel and Reno froze.

"_Here!_" A voice snarled and with his attention suddenly diverted, the man noticed too late as a dark figure with _the same_ black coat suddenly materialized through a portal right beneath the man's outstretched gun arm, flipping his leg up, the newly formed figure brought his heel across the gunner's wrist, forcing him to drop the gun with a cry of pain, before the form vanished once again into another portal.

Appearing behind Reno and Axel, he grabbed both their wrists, and with a quickly muttered;

"Don't fight me." He pulled them both in.

It went dark.

**

* * *

Chapter 1**

_One week later…_

Reno looked around his new room, it was fairly simple, hard wood floors that were badly scuffed, a bunkbed placed on one side of the tiny room, a large window to the side of that, and two student desks on the opposite side of the room, next to that was a door that led to their own bathroom, and to the side of that door was a closet. It was a basic setting, and didn't allow for much aside from sleeping and studying.

"Oi! Bastard! Help me with this shit!" Axel snarled as he kicked the door open with one foot, a mountain of boxes in his arms. Reno stared at him a little surprise.

"Uhm… Axel… how are you going to fit all that crap in this room?" He asked mildly, still sitting on the bottom bunk boredly, elbows on his knees. Axel glared at him from behind a box and amusingly enough, Reno saw an eyebrow twitch.

"With your help would be great! Jerk off!" He snarled angrily as he stumbled into the center of the room, then let the boxes drop.

Reno chuckled slightly, shaking his head.

"So… we're all moved in then." He muttered. "Guess we should thank the school board for letting us stay in the scholarship dorms." He commented idly.

"Scholarship dorms? Hah." Axel muttered as he kicked a box idly with a booted foot. "I heard this place was called the family reject dump. Kids whose families can't, or wont' support them, and those who don't have families at all get stuck here." He muttered darkly. "They're as much as putting us out of the way here." Reno stared at him, silent.

"Well that's what we are, aren't we? We're orphans now." He commented softly. Axel frowned as he looked at Reno, and frowned even further.

"Get changed." He muttered as he got down on one knee and tore a box open. Rooting through it quickly, he tossed a pair of faded jeans and a white shirt at Reno.

Smacking him in the face, Reno growled as he grabbed the offending articles of clothing and glared ineffectively at his brother.

"Why?" He demanded.

"Because these tuxedos are as uncomfortable as hell and I want to go to school." Axel said calmly as he pulled out his own set of clothes. Reno stared, while Axel did have a point about the itchy funeral tuxedos, he was surprised at the latter comment.

"You? Want to go to school? Who the fuck are you, and if your alien pals are anal probing Axel, you'd better send pictures to his boyfriend when he finally gets one." Reno commented dully.

He got a boot to the face for that comment.

"Fucking asshole." Axel muttered.

* * *

"Wow… it's like… so quiet." Reno murmured as he stepped onto the school grounds, glancing around, his sunglasses propped up on his forehead. Axel stared around the campus of Oblivion Tech. A joint compound of a Highschool and a College, it was an all boys campus with a high number of gays. 

Top one being the school's head, Professor Sakura.

"C'mon, I hate waiting around." Axel said calmly as he walked forward, Reno glanced at him, and sighed as he followed.

* * *

"Oh Axel, hey dude I just heard… I am so sorry about what happened, have they found the guys who did it?" Nameless student one said anxiously. 

"How are you and your brother holding out? If you need any help man, I'm right there for you!" Random passerby number seven asked eagerly.

"Hey do you think those guys will give the murderers the chair?" Gossip number twenty-four commented grinning.

Axel was _this close_ to killing someone. Of all times to wish for a calculus textbook…

"Oi! Does this look like a fucking parade? Scat you bastards!" A voice snarled arrogantly.

"Oh piss off Seifer!" One student grumbled. As the crowd parted to allow the blonde through, Seifer's hand snapped out, grabbing the speaker by his collar.

"You wanna say that again punk?" The blonde demanded hoisting the kid into air sneering. Compared to Seifer's 5'10, the Highschooler dangled a few good inches off the ground gulping. Shaking his head quickly, Seifer smirked arrogantly.

"Didn't think so. Now BEAT IT." He snapped and tossed the kid… out the second story window. There was a crash and a curse as the rest of the students fled beneath Seifer's cold gaze. For a moment Axel, said nothing, then glanced at Seifer and smirked.

"Thanks." The blonde glanced at Axel, and chuckled.

"Made me feel better, your lame ass up for skipping?" He asked smirking as he leaned against the shattered window sill casually, glancing over to see how his victim had fared.

"Not even supposed to be here, where're your groupies?" He asked boredly as he leaned against the wall.

"Ditched 'em back in second period, where's your dick of a brother?" Axel chuckled, this was what he needed. He didn't want people asking him how he was, if he was going to be okay or if he needed support. Most of them were just badly veiled attempts to get into his pants anyway, gods it irked him. 'cause c'mon… he _knew_ he was hot, but did they have to be so obvious? He liked this, being with Seifer and just talking trash.

"In class." Axel answered easily.

"No shit, are you kidding me?" Seifer demanded turning to glance at him, wide eyed. When Axel shook his head, Seifer stared, then started laughing.

"I always told you he was a frickin' dumbass, this just proves it, who the hell gives up a good reason to ditch class?" Axel smirked.

"Not like having no reason ever stopped you."

"Damn straight, let's go get food, I'm starved." He commented as he started off, Axel shook his head and followed.

"You're one fucking fat kid, what did you have for lunch today?"

"Skipped it, was too busy chasing Squall's tight ass." Seifer said boredly as they started down the steps to the main floor. Axel laughed again.

* * *

Reno clutched his pencil so tightly, it snapped. 

Taking what had to have been the hundredth note passed to him in the last five minutes _at least_, he dumped it into a tiny little paper receptacle he had folded after the first ten notes. They all said the same thing.

"_Are you OK?_" Damn he didn't need these pointless interruptions, he needed something to divert his mind, like math.

… gods that was pathetic. But he couldn't keep relying on his brother to keep him from brooding, Reno knew full well Axel had been trying to keep him busy, so that Reno wouldn't be able to dwell on what had happened a week ago, but little did Axel know Reno was not in turmoil about their parents' death, sure it pained him to think on it, but he felt a little more guilty over how he had completely frozen in the face of his parents' murderers, and right when Axel needed him…

Fuck, he was supposed to be the elder brother!

He snapped his third pencil when another note was passed to him, but this time when he glared up at the handler, he stared.

Rude. The hell?

Taking it, he frowned and unfolded the neatly torn square piece of paper.

It had a simple number on it and a word, _117.59 watts._

… the fuck?

"Kusobata, the answer?" Reno yelped in surprise and he glanced up at the Professor who stared at him from beneath his sharp rimmed glasses.

"Er- 117.59 watts?"

"Correct, good to know you're still a commendable student in times of change." The Professor said, not unkindly and returned to the lesson. Reno breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at Rude gratefully.

The man had his eyes to the front, but a small smile on his lips. When Reno debated writing a small thanks on the paper, he noticed Rude held his pencil out into the air in front of him, and whirled it in a circle. Confused, Reno stared at the twirling pencil, until he glanced at the paper.

Flipping it over, he stared, then began chuckling quietly.

Because on the other side was written a single sentence.

_You're welcome._

* * *

"Man I am telling you… he is just so… fuckable!" 

"Seifer, while I hate you like a friend only can, I don't want to hear just how many ways you can take Leon's ass." Axel muttered as he nibbled on the top of his Sea Salt ice-cream. Seifer frowned at him as he bit down on the top of his ice-cream and quite damn well pouted.

"Well what about you? You found a fuck buddy yet?" Seifer asked still looking a bit surly. Axel chuckled.

"Dude I've told you, I'm only 18!"

"Hmm… well you've got a point, that is kind of old to start fucking, most guys are probably turned off by now, but with your looks you should still have no trouble-"

"Fuck Seifer, I meant I'm too young!" Axel cried as he burst out laughing. Seifer raised an eyebrow.

"Shit man what's wrong with you? You're a damn 18 year old hormonal teenager, have a little fun in…" He trailed off when he realized Axel was no longer listening. Staring he popped his ice cream into his mouth and waved his hand in front of the redhead's eyes, and blinked when Axel didn't do anything except stare.

And let his ice-cream melt.

"… Axel? You're looking really vulnerable right now, if you don't make a move I might just molest you." Seifer said calmly, in a mild voice as if commenting on the weather. Still no reaction. Frowning Seifer glanced in Axel's line of vision, blinked, then realized what Axel was staring at.

"Arigatou, Roxa-chan! I will so pay you back for this!" A blonde cried grinning at a younger boy, his spiked golden hair seemed to glow in the sunlight.

"You'd better Demyx…" The younger one said looking disgruntled as he took the two ice-creams handed to him from the vendor. The boy with the blonde and streaked light brown mullet smiled as the younger handed him a popsicle. He took it with a joyous; 'Yaaay!'

Seifer observed them a moment longer, glanced back at Axel's dumbstruck expression, then smirked.

Nibbling down the last bit of his ice-cream, he tossed the stick into the park garbage can, then walked over. Axel blinked, startled when he realized Seifer had entered his line of vision and followed his walk, dumbstruck.

"Hey there." Seifer said calmly as he walked up, his hands stuck into his jacket pockets. The two blondes stopped and glanced at him. The younger one remained silent, ice cream half way to his face, his eyes cautious while the taller one grinned, his ice cream was already little more then traces of juice on a stick.

"Konichiwa! Can we do something for you?" He asked grinning.

"Yeah, you could." Seifer answered mildly, running his tongue over his bottom lip as he smiled. The shorter boy's eyes narrowed. "We can start with names." The taller one giggled.

Gods preserve him, he had _giggled_. Axel started over, utterly confused.

"Nuh uh! No fair, you have to give yours first!" The childish one said grinning. Seifer smirked.

"Fair enough trade, promise to tell me?"

"Hai, promise, promise!" The boy said cheerfully.

"Dem-!" The younger one began when Seifer broke across him.

"My name is Seifer Almasy, I'm 18 years old and a Highschool student, I'm going to Oblivion Institution." He declared smirking. Before the younger one could protest, his companion answered cheerfully.

"I'm Demyx Gou! I'm 17 and uhm… I'll be _going_ to that place! Nice t'meetcha!" Seifer smirked.

"Demyx huh? Cool, and him?" For a minute the boy looked worried that Demyx might actually spout off his name without his permission, but his worry was for naught, Demyx shook his head and winked.

"Sorry Seify, can't tell his name! It's about fair trade right?"

"Huh? What, so I need a friend of mine to tell you their name for you to tell me his?" When Demyx nodded, Seifer smirked, but before he could even turn around to find Axel, the redhead planted a hand on his shoulder and said casually.

"Axel Kusobata, age 18, friend of Seifer's and coincidentally, his classmate." He said smirking.

The young boy looked pale. Demyx grinned.

"Cool! This is Roxas Tsupsam! He's 16! We both just moved here with our family and we'll be going to school tomorrow!"

"Tsupsam?" Seifer commented raising an eyebrow and Roxas flushed angrily.

"Demyx! Stop that!" He snarled, the blonde continued heedlessly.

"I know, it's weird, maybe if I know a little more about you I can explain our last names…" He said grinning.

Seifer smirked and decided he liked this kid. Beneath that facade of a child was a real bargainer.

"Alright, so… Demyx and Roxas was it?" When both nodded (Demyx cheerfully, Roxas in a surly manner), he smirked arrogantly. "What are your preferences?"

At this Roxas went beet red and Demyx cocked his head to one side.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Smirking, Seifer casually moved his hand to Axel's which still held his dripping ice-cream, and wrapping his hand around Axel's, pulled the sweet up to his face.

"You know, what you like in partners. Tall, short, slender, masculine… girl or boy…" He murmured as he idly slipped his tongue around the treat, eyeing them with a smirk.

Axel heavily fought the urge to laugh as Roxas raised a hand to cover his face, and consequently his eyes as he blushed completely.

'How cute…' He thought taking the opportunity to etch the expression in his mind. Demyx on the other hand seemed unfazed, which seemed a little out of character for the boy.

For a moment Demyx said nothing, then he smirked.

"Tall, long hair, dominant." He said easily as his eyes narrowed, his pupils drew down to narrow slits and he idly let one hand rest on a hip as his other, adorned with colorful wristbands and various bangles slipped beneath the hem of his short and white shirt.

Even Seifer was caught by surprise at the sudden change as he drew back from Axel, staring.

"But just so you know…" Demyx commented idly as he moved up closer up against Seifer and pressing against him, his expression sly as he wrapped his arms around the blonde's neck and leaned in, their lips barely touching. Axel could only stare, Seifer seemed completely stunned. Demyx leaned in, their lips a mere touch apart, when Demyx grinned and smooched Seifer's nose.

His nose.

"You are _so_ not my type." He said giggling as he hopped back innocently and grinned like a child.

And still Roxas kept his hand to his face.

A few moments later, Seifer had at least progressed to gaping like a beached fish, when a smooth voice interrupted.

"Roxas, Demyx. There you are." Turning, both blondes immediately quieted, all expression of emotion was wiped from their face as a man walked up, with a cross shaped scar across the bridge of his nose, like Seifer's and Leon's combined, his blue hair was flipped idly over one shoulder with a pale and slender hand. "_He_ is looking for you." The man said calmly and glanced over at the other two boys. His eyes slid over Seifer easily, but paused on Axel, for a minute they stared at each other, stunned, then he smiled at the redhead and his stunned expression.

"Nice to see you again, Axel." He said calmly and after calmly moving Demyx and Roxas forward, (Demyx waved goodbye), gave Axel nothing more then a view of his back.

(And his tight ass, but that's beside the point…)

Seifer, when he had finally recovered his composure (a good damn 30 seconds later) turned to look at Axel, and frowned when he realized his friend looked dumbstruck and utterly lost.

"… Axel?"

No response.

Growling Seifer did the first thing that came to his mind. He slid his hand calmly over the crests of Axel's butt.

With a yelp Axel jumped and spun on Seifer, his hands automatically guarding his rear entrance.

"SEIFER!"

"Sorry Axel, you were zoned out, who the hell was blue-boy?" He asked calmly as he plucked Axel's nearly slush popsicle from his hand and began to suck on it. Axel immediately lost his offended look and straightened, turning to look in the direction that the three had vanished in, he gazed over the crowd, but could no longer find the slash of blue hair. His shoulders slumped slightly, defeated looking.

"… That was Saix."

Seifer choked on the ice-cream and spat it out looking stunned.

"Say what?! Him?!" When Axel only nodded, Seifer could only gape, before he signed and threw the rest of the ice-cream out.

"Fuck… you have the shittiest luck on Earth to be meeting your ex-boyfriend here." He muttered sourly.

_End Chapter 1._

**BONUS  
**Hidden Scene!

"Well… due to the circumstances, the school board head petitioned to have you room here for the last few years of your schooling… so if you need any help settling in… anything at all, I hope you will call on me." The dorm manager said calmly. "Also, please do not be alarmed by the rumors about this room, despite what the overly bored students here say, this room is not haunted by the Marine Biologist student who used to room here." He said calmly.

Axel and Reno stared at him like he was psychotic, that would certainly add to their lives, a crazed dorm manager. Rather then dwell on that pleasant fact, Axel took this chance to wander around the room and get a baring on things while Reno reaffirmed the dorm rules of no drinking, smoking, or underage activities, and if those included the fact he was legally entitled to all of those things.

Axel glanced at his environment and shrugged, it could be worse. So instead he contented himself with opening the bathroom door to scope out the only privacy he would have from his brother henceforth living quarters wise, and as he flicked on the light switch, screamed.

Reno was immediately by his side, as was the dorm manager.

"W-what? What's wrong?" Reno demanded as he glanced in through the door. Axel stood there, pointing at the toilet in mortification.

"T-T-T-T-T-T-!!!" He stammered, his eyes wide and face pale.

Reno took one more glanced around, and frowned.

"Er- yes Axel… that's a toilet." He said offhandedly, maybe the stress had finally cracked his brother.

Axel glared at his brother.

"NO YOU CRACKHEAD! THERE'S A FUCKING DEAD TURTLE ON THE SEAT!" Reno frowned, glanced back at the toilet, and saw a harmless, porcelain receptacle of human waste. Sighing and shaking his head, he glanced at the dorm manager.

"I'm sorry, but to humor my younger sibling, do you see a turtle?" The dorm manager gave him the most weirded-out look he could manage. "Don't worry, I feel stupider for asking." He muttered and withdrew. "Be quiet for a few minutes Axel while we sane people finish talking." He said idly and Axel glared.

"Reno you asshole, _listen to me_! There's a goddamn-!" The door slammed shut.

Of it's own volition.

Axel froze, then slowly turned back to the toilet where in his own eyes, clear as day, now sat the turtle.

Yeah, sat. On the porcelain rim, it's little tail poking out and it's head craned graciously towards him, arms hanging limply by his side, he could swear the turtle _smiled_.

"I'm not quite dead you know." It said calmly.

Axel stared.

Reno jumped as pounding on the bathroom door began and Axel's hysterical voice drifted out.

"RENO! RENORENORENORENO!!! HEEEELP! FUCKING DEAD TALKING TURTLE IS GONNA EAT MY BRAINS!!" He desperately tried to drown out the screams as he turned to the dorm manager smiling nervously.

Axel had quite simply considered himself lost the human world when the turtle sighed.

"And after all this time, I had been lying here, wasting away because no one could see me, and now at last a human can sense my presence, I'm absolutely delighted! Let me introduce myself, my name is Mobyous Dik, and I am a turtle that met his gruesome end here, on this very spot." The turtle commented tapping the toilet seat with his tail and smiling.

"MOBIOUS DICK WAS A FUCKING WHALE OR SOME- Oh god I'm talking to you now… RENO! GET ME OUT OF HERE! THE TURTLE NAMED AFTER THAT FUCKING WHALE IS MAKING ME LOSE MY SANITY!!"

Reno, in the midst of assuring the dorm manager his brother was just mildly ill, finally lost all patience then and there. Walking over to the door, he slammed his foot into it screaming angrily;

"You don't _have_ any fucking sanity! Now just shut the frick up!"

This of course, left Axel heartbroken as he slid to the base of the door whining piteously;

"Reeenoooo…" He whimpered as the turtle continued.

"Oh no, not _Mobious Dick_, not after the book, no I am _Mobyous Dik_, with a Y mister…?" The turtle trailed off, waiting for a name. Axel glanced at it, debated fiercely with the last vestiges of his disbelief, before he tried gingerly;

"Axel. Axel Kusobata." Mobyous smiled.

"Mr. Kusobata… no… Axel, please, call me Moby, the ghost of your bathroom." He said smiling then raised a single arm, and the smile widened on his wrinkly looking green lips.

The lights went out.

"Let's be friends." His voice echoed through the bathroom.

Reno ignored Axel's drawn out scream of his name as he rubbed his aching temple.

_To be continued…_

**I warned you didn't I? About them dratted turtles… … turtles. O.o**


	2. Pushing the Line

**Author's notes:** WOW. HEY. What happened to this updatey thing? Yeah well see… uhm… er…  
Well I like _totally_ got abducted by like, these aliens and -gets shot in the head-  
Okay, truth be told it was exams, but hey, it's one in the freaken' morning, I've got the Numa Numa song going, we're good to go!

**Summary: **You know what this is already…

**Warnings:** Swears, violence, gore, lime (possible, it's in debate), graphic scenes, yaoi (boyxboy love), CRACK, stupid humor, emo!angst.  
Sorry guys, no turtle today. O.o

**Pairings:** RenoxRude(**MAIN**), AxelxRoxas(**MAIN**), SoraxRiku, Axelx?, Demyxx?, SeiferxLeon, as well as multiple random and short CRACK pairings. _Subject to change._

**Disclaimer:** -Wants to own KH2- WAAAAAH!! T.T

**

* * *

****Chapter 2**

"Hey Riku?" A teenage male began in a curious voice, his body just now finishing its awkward phase of puberty. Spiked light brown hair and translucent blue eyes marked this boy as open and friendly.

"Hmm?" A male with a sheen of silver hair and piercing sea green eyes murmured as he strode down the hallway of his dormitory a paper bag of groceries in one arm.

"Wasn't this room empty?" The brunette asked as he paused, pointing to an open door with multiple boxes heaped in the middle of the room, one was open and clothes had been spewed everywhere.

"So someone new moved in." Riku said boredly as he paused at another door, the next door after the open one and pulled out a set of keys.

"Oh… I wonder who they are and what they're like." The brunette said curiously as he wandered over. As Riku slipped the key into the door and thumbed it open, he smirked at his companion.

"They're probably transfers so they'll be strange, different and creepy. Better be careful Sora, they might do weird things to you." He teased the brunette as he pushed the door open. Sora gaped.

"W-what? You think so?" He demanded wide eyed. Riku laughed as he stepped into the door, then paused, glancing down he pulled his cellphone off of his belt clip as it vibrated and flipped it open.

Staring at the screen for a moment, he frowned, before turning to Sora.

"I have to go." He said quietly as he snapped his phone shut. Sora blinked.

"What? Really?" He demanded, pouting. Riku nodded once as he set the bag down onto a dresser table, then reached into the closet next to the door and pulled out a long, black trench coat.

"Yeah, I'll be late, lock up and don't let anyone in." He said calmly. Sora frowned.

"I'm not twelve you know, and no one's going to attack me or anything."

"That's what I hope." Riku muttered as he pulled on the coat and zipped it up to his neck and pulled the second zipper up to his knees. That finished, he switched his sneakers for his shin high black boot and pulled out a set of black gloves from his pocket, along with a long and thin black strip of cloth. Sora frowned at him.

"What?"

"Nothing, remember what I said!" Riku called out behind him as he dashed for the open window and jumped out, grabbing the edge of the shingled roof and flipping onto it with the momentum of his leap.

Sora pouted and storming over, slammed the window shut.

"FINE. Secretive jerk…" He muttered.

* * *

Rude debated picking up his knife and pulling it through the air, just in case he could see the tension being shredded.

… What was tension supposed to look like anyway?

At the current moment he sat in a neat little restaurant, Reno across from him as he sipped calmly from a cup of coffee.

The atmosphere was extremely tense, even the other patrons of the restaurant were beginning to notice, but Rude knew better then to interrupt Reno before he was ready.

During previous conversations, Rude had learned that when rushed, Reno purposefully delayed the main topic of conversation, often leading to a strong desire to crack open his skull on the nearest sturdy surface.

Thoughts whirled about the redhead's mind as he set there, hunched over, clenched fists on the table. It was getting to the point his nails were beginning to draw blood from his palms as he sat there, expression angered. Finally his dam burst.

"Dammit! Rude have sex with me!" He screamed.

Multiple eyes turned on the table just in time to see the stoic and quiet man spew coffee over the table. Reno artfully dodged the spray as he jumped out of his seat, and when he glanced at Rude who stared at him, sunglasses lightly askew, he couldn't help it, he burst out laughing. Taking a different seat, closer to Rude he kept on laughing as the man blushed lightly and pulled out a napkin and began dabbing at the mess.

"I'm sorry yo." Reno finally managed to get out when he had gotten his laughter under control. "But the look on your face…" Rude frowned at Reno, then sighed.

"One day someone is going to take your request seriously." He said in a serious tone as he folded the napkin neatly and laid it off to one side, the mess all but a mere memory.

Reno smacked Rude on the back completely ruining his dark mood.

"Yeah right." The redhead said cheerfully as he continued chuckling. Rude sighed as he glanced at the man who had been his friend for years, and shook his head.

"… are you ready to talk now?" He asked calmly and Reno's mirth vanished. For a moment the teen said nothing, before he sighed heavily.

"I need… a favor." He said quietly. Rude said nothing as he enlaced his fingers, his expression carefully blank. "Remember a few years ago, the day we met?" At last Rude made a sign of expression, a chuckle as he relaxed his shoulders.

"I have trouble forgetting it." He said calmly, his eyes amused.

"Hey, not funny yo!" Reno snapped grinning like an imp.

"No, it wasn't. You shot me." Rude deadpanned.

Reno laughed sheepishly.

"It wasn't that bad…"

"Twice." Rude said calmly. "With my _own gun_ I might add."

"Ah well…"

"In my _hindquarters_, no less." Rude interrupted calmly. Reno grinned.

"Y'know you still haven't let me see the buttscar yo." Rude chuckled.

"Well… what's this favor you need?" The man asked quietly and Reno's grin faded into a smirk.

"As I was saying, I need you to contact those guys who were with you that day to find out about a couple of freaks for me. You said that's what they're good at right?" He said calmly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Rude coughed slightly.

"You know I don't deal with those people anymore." He said quietly, his expression going dark, Reno smiled at him.

"Oh come on, you can't pull that over me, I might look stupid but I'm actually pretty smart."

_Look?_ Rude thought dully, but rather then voice that aloud he sighed. _Reno… you have no idea what you're touching…_ The thought came with feelings of unease, wasn't a single brush with death enough for the reckless redhead?

_But if you don't help him… he's going to try to find them on his own._ The thought nagged Rude's mind and he let out another heaving sigh.

"Alright. What do I have to go on?" He asked calmly. Reno grinned.

"Rude I knew you'd come through, thanks man I owe you!"

"I'll put it on your steadily growing tab. What am I looking for?" Rude muttered darkly, his mood had gone from bad to worse today…

"Uhm… well the killers both wore black trench coats-"

"_Who_ wore trench coats?" Rude quickly interrupted, eyes widening slightly. Reno realized his slip and laughed sheepishly.

"Uhm… the asylum guys who came to take Axel away?"

"Reno…" Came the quiet warning and the redhead sighed.

"Alright… look… as far as the police know, Axel and I came home from school, saw the bodies, got out and called them. But…" Here he trailed off, and Rude mentally swore at himself.

"The killers were still there… weren't they?" He asked quietly. Reno winced.

"Yeah… I can't tell you much… I mean… fuck Rude, I was frozen, not just paralyzed, not just numb… I wasn't _thinking_, it's like… I just died, right then and there." Pulling the sunglasses on his forehead off, Reno stared down at his clenched fist, closing and unclosing.

"And damn Rude I feel like I've lost my mind…" He whispered as his eyes narrowed in anguish. "Well… as soon as Axel saw the… you know, this… this guy showed up wearing a trench coat."

Rude stared at the redhead, trying to gauge his emotions, but said nothing.

"And… fuck Rude… I didn't even move… Axel, the damn kid, he reacted first, he pulled _me_ behind him! And damn… that fucking bastard just as much admitted he killed mom and dad and I didn't do a thing! Axel… god after he dropped that guy he had to _drag_ me Rude… and you know what I said?"

Rude still said nothing.

"Fuck … Rude I told him to _slow down_! Because I couldn't keep up! If he hadn't been there… oh man… I would have died."

"… Then… you were scared of dying?" Rude asked calmly, knowing full well that Reno wasn't scared of such a thing, he had already hazarded a guess at what his friend's inner turmoil was all about.

"No! Damn… I… Rude I failed… I failed Axel and… shit I'm supposed to protect him! If that guy hadn't shown up when that fucking gunner popped and tried to shoot us both down-!"

"Wait, what?" Rude finally interrupted, eyes widening.

Reno heaved a sigh.

"Oh shit man, this is the part I don't believe. After Axel dropped the first one, another guy popped up out of the living room, you know, the doorway next to the front door?" Rude nodded.

He did indeed, that hallway was a deathtrap, narrow and long, it was a perfect spot to snare someone between.

"And… he did some trash talking, I wasn't listening… but… oh man, he held up his hand and… light! I shit you not, some dark light formed in his hand and turned into this purple thing that _shot_ at us! And when I went back with the police, the place where that bolt landed… there's a _cut_ Rude! A fucking cut in the hardwood floor as deep as the length of my thumb! And the only reason Axel and I aren't fucking Swiss cheese is because some dude in an identical coat as the other two showed up outta nowhere, slammed down the gunner and then teleported us out of there!"

Rude was silent, wide eyed.

Reno mistook his silence for disbelief and slumped on the table.

"Yeah… I don't believe it either." He whispered, then glanced at Rude.

For a moment neither youth said anything, until at last, Rude coughed into his hand to hide his shock. What Reno took for disbelief, was actually stunned realization.

"So… I'm looking for two men, both wearing black trench coats, and apparently with the ability to summon weapons out of thin air."

"Before you call the asylum, let them know I'm happily going and they can leave the straight jacket behind." Reno whispered. Staring at the redhead calmly, Rude wished dearly he had his cellphone at this moment. Instead he coughed into his hand again and turned to fully stare at Reno.

"Did they call each other anything? A name? An alias?" He asked sincerely.

Reno blinked at him, then smiled. It was a grateful smile, and one of the few true ones he rarely released.

Rude blushed and glanced away.

"Uhm… I'm not… wait." Reno paused thinking hard, then nodded. "The first guy that Axel dropped, he called out… something like 'Two, stop them!' or something… So I guess Two." He muttered quietly deep in thought.

Rude nodded, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as his blush faded.

"I see."

_I'm going to have to ask him._ He thought darkly. _This is getting a little to close too base, I wonder if anything's been done… _Deep in his own train of thought, he didn't notice Reno, until an irregular sound brought his attention back to the present.

Blinking, he had difficulty identifying it, until he realized it was something he hadn't heard in a long time.

A sob.

"Thanks Rude, it helps a lot yo." Reno whispered, his face down. Suddenly his arm came up to wipe at his face with the back of his hand. Rude started.

Reno was… crying?

"… Reno?"

"Just gimme a minute." Reno said immediately. "Oh man it's all catching up, gimme a sec."

Rude stared, eyes lost as he stared at a man he had thought unaffected by anything.

Even he was wrong sometimes.

"… I believe you, completely. I will do everything I can to help you find your parents' murderers." He said quietly, it seemed to be all he could say at the time.

"Thanks Rude… really, hah… haha… oh man I'm crying like a chick… that's so uncool yo…" Reno muttered wiping at his face with both hands now. Uncertain for a brief moment, Rude finally settled for simply sitting there, fighting back the overwhelming urge to hold the redhead.

"Shut up and cry." He said simply. Then added in a softer voice; "I'll be here when you're done."

Reno chuckled quietly.

"I know." He said softly as the tears continued to fall.

* * *

"God I hate books like these… I wish they'd just hurry up and kiss or fuck or something slutty…" Seifer muttered as he held the book up disinterestedly. Axel, in the midst of a magazine glanced over the book shelf at him smirking.

"Smut addict." He muttered as he went back to his magazine.

And was decked in the head by the spine of a hardcover.

"Ow! Fuck Seifer that _hurt_!"

"Shit and I thought it was supposed to tickle." Seifer commented.

"Asshole." Axel hissed clutching his forehead and glaring.

"Not your asshole." Seifer retorted laughing, amused by the witty banter.

"Seems the get together spot today is the book store." A voice commented idly as three figures passed by Seifer's side of the shelf, one was a blond with brilliant green eyes and spiked blond hair, another a tall and lean, but toned brunette, a scar ran jaggedly across the bridge of his nose.

Seifer's eyes immediately brightened with the prospect of prey and Axel felt his expression grow with dread.

The speaker, a skinny black haired female with mischievous dark eyes, grinned at the tall brunette as he tried desperately to ignore Seifer's presence. Seifer smirked.

"Later Axel." He said, his mind already gone as he tossed the book over his shoulder and caught up with the brunette easily.

Shaking his head, Axel chuckled in a softly amused manner and continued to flip pages, he'd have to get home soon, selfishly enough, Reno was proving to be his distraction from dwelling, he had the feeling if he stopped just long enough to think on the past week, he may have just broken down.

Or killed someone.

Either or.

"Alone at last." Axel froze. As a pale and elegant hand landed on his shoulder he felt the male lean over his shoulder slightly, and he smiled.

"Car mechanics?" His voice asked with an amused lilt. "When did you become obsessed with cars?" Saix asked amusedly.

Axel angrily flipped the magazine shut and practically stuffed it back onto the shelf.

"You'd know if you'd stuck around." He said calmly as he swatted away Saix's hand and moved the opposite way Seifer had gone. The last thing he needed was for Seifer to witness his anger, the blond would likely tell him later he really needed to get laid again, or something. Saix followed calmly, hands tucked into his dark blue jeans, his black long-sleeve accenting his muscled curves nicely, it was odd, seeing Saix in such casual clothes.

"I'm here now." Saix said simply as he followed Axel out of the book store. Axel sneered.

"And for how long bastard?" He commented idly as he checked the sun, it was nearly sunset. Perfect, just what he needed, out alone on the dark streaks with a masochist/sadist… how lovely.

To that Saix said nothing, at which Axel smirked knowingly. He took the opening with full enthusiasm.

"Can't tell me? Save us both the trouble, me the heartache and you the bitching, go find another fuck toy. Oh wait- sorry I got over you a year ago, nevermind." Axel said with a bitter laugh.

He was utterly startled when Saix grabbed his arm and yanked him into one of the back-roads, off to the side.

Immediately he was slammed roughly against a wall, leaving the blunette to hover over him, both arms were on opposite sides of Axel's head, and with Saix's body pressed so close against Axel's, escape wasn't really an option.

"If you got over me… why do you sound so angry…?" Saix asked him coolly, his breath tickling Axel's skin causing a shiver.

"Get _off_ me Saix." Axel hissed. "Only warning." Saix smirked as he leaned in slightly.

"Only when you answer my question." The man conditioned the request easily as he actually leaned in… and _smelled_ Axel's hair. "3 years and you still haven't changed brands?" He whispered, amusement lingering in his voice. Axel snarled and moved to bring up his knee to connect with Saix's uncomfortable regions, when Saix's boot came down on Axel's foot causing a wince.

"Nice try, I'm familiar with that move of yours." Saix commented in a mysterious manner, smiling.

Axel snarled.

"Get the fuck off me you goddamn-!" His outraged yell was brought to a screeching halt as Saix pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Stunned, before Axel could even entertain the thought of biting Saix, the blunette had withdrawn and smiled at Axel knowingly, bringing a rise of heat to the redhead's cheeks.

"Still taste like a goddamn Sea Salt ice-cream." He commented treating Axel to a soft smile, one that made Axel's chest throb.

He paled. **_NO._**

"You go to Oblivion Institution right?" He asked, acting oblivious to Axel's paling skin. Axel didn't answer, but Saix continued anyway.

"I will see you tomorrow then, I start my classes at 8." He informed the stunned redhead as he backed away and smirked. "We'll continue then." He said calmly and left the alleyway, and a stunned Axel.

And all Axel could do is grit his teeth and clench his fist. When he finally managed to get his wits together, Axel snarled and slammed the back of his fist against the brick wall in his anger as he shoved himself away from the wall and ran out of the alley, like the bats of hell were chasing him.

Or rather, his own personal demons…

But at least in his angered and panicked state, Axel managed to make a resolve…

That pretty smile or not, Saix was _not_ going to hurt him again…

"Axel?" Seifer's voice broke through his anger like a sharp knife, stunned, he turned to find the blonde staring at him calmly, a single eyebrow raised.

"… Hey shithead, something wrong?" The teen asked quietly, hands on his hips as Axel slowly emerged into the light, shielding his smarting eyes, Axel nodded.

"Nah." He muttered vaguely and Seifer gave a snort of disbelief, but let it slide.

"C'mon, let's go." He said calmly as he shrugged his shoulders, setting his pale gray jacket back into place. Axel glanced at him, rubbing his lips with the edge of his knuckle distractedly.

He gave a startled yelp as Seifer grabbed that hand with his own and stared at it, his eyes narrowed.

"Seifer-! The hell?!"

"Dumbass… what did you do to your hand?" Seifer demanded angrily glancing over the bleeding knuckles. Axel winced and quickly tried to find an excuse.

"… I'll tell you when you tell me what happened to your face." Axel finally said after a moment's thought, his eyes landing on Seifer's cheek which had the distinct markings of a growing bruise. Seifer dropped the hand and it immediately went to his quickly swelling cheek.

The redhead was startled to find a blush spread on the blonde's face.

"Holy shit! Leon punched you!" Axel suddenly yelped, pointing at his friend as he began laughing hysterically.

"S-shut up you fucking lamer… god you'd think I stole his virginity the way he was harping about the kiss…" Seifer muttered darkly and began to pout.

Axel continued to laugh until Seifer, pissed at his friend, stuck out his foot with a grin.

Concrete meet Axel, Axel meet concrete.

"Asshole." Axel muttered as he came up off the ground, a hand at his bleeding once again nose.

"We've been through this, not your asshole." Seifer commented grinning as he paused at the corner of the street, hands stuffed into his jacket pockets.

The infectious grin had it's desired effect and Axel smirked back laughing.

As he waited next to Seifer, his hand holding his nose precariously as blood dripped down his chin, he stared at Seifer for a silent moment.

"… Dude I told you, fifty bucks if you want my body." Seifer said grinning as he turned to Axel. Axel sneered.

"Not on your life you fag."

"High talk from you. The hell you want?" He demanded as the light turned green. Both teens ignored it.

"Your lighter, can I borrow it?" Seifer raised another eyebrow.

"Mine? The heck happened to yours Mr. Pyro?" He demanded staring, in all his life he'd never once seen Axel without some means of fire.

Shrugging, Axel sighed as he cautiously lifted his fingers away from his nose and sniffed delicately.

Satisfied he wasn't going to die of blood loss, he grinned at Seifer.

"Cops pilfered mine when they searched my room."

"Shit… not… _Ducky_?" Seifer said with a mock gasp as he feigned horror.

Axel sighed wistfully, playing along.

"Yeah… they took my Donald Duck lighter." He said shaking his head.

Silence.

A Mazda M3 honked loudly as Axel and Seifer nearly tumbled into the street from laughter. Hanging onto the light pole holding his aching sides, Seifer fumbled into his pockets and brought out a stainless steal Zippo lighter with a lion engraved onto the surface. Bent double, he handed it to Axel who took it laughing.

"T-thanks." He stammered out as he flicked the top and in a single smooth motion, whirled the gears with a callused thumb, blistered long ago with much practice. A blue-based red flame burst into life and flickered slightly in Reno's hand as he stared at the flame, almost as if it mesmerized him.

Seifer, who had calmed down enough straightened, his eyes eager. No matter the time, no matter the place, watching Axel do his fire trick was always a treat.

Holding the lighter precariously, but comfortably, Axel held his hand over the flame, unperturbed by the rising heat waves, and calmly he lowered his hand over the flame and closed his fist around it.

For a moment he was still, and then he pulled his fisted hand away, and opened it, palm facing up.

And there, in the center of his palm floated the little flame, it flickered merrily to and fro from small gusts of winds, but if Seifer had to guess, the flame was _happy_.

… as happy as fire could get anyway.

Silently, Axel closed his eyes and let out a soft breath. Fire was his to own, he'd known it since birth, or since he'd been consciously aware of his existence. And despite the dangers, despite the risk, it had always comforted him, the searing heat of the flame had always been his friend.

And in times when he was confused, now don't laugh, but whenever he'd ever had a dilemma, he'd turned to the flame, and it had never once steered him wrong.

Opening his eyes, he stared directly at the tiny ball of fire.

Seifer shook his head, Axel was really in the zone today, he usually could tell by Axel's eyes.

And today they were bright orange, the color of lively flame. He smiled.

Mood-eyes, those were what they called him.

If they were green, he was fine, if they were orange, he was feeling sadistic, if they were red, fuck it was time to run.

And if they were blue?

Well fuck run _really fast._

He didn't _want_ to know what white was.

"Hey buddy…" Axel cooed, Seifer smirked, every flame, every small ember was like a child to Axel, it was creepy sometimes really. "Got a question, what should I do about my asshole ex?"

The flame wavered for a moment, before it suddenly burst into a fireball, with a yelp Seifer fell back, he'd never seen such a violent reaction before.

Axel sneered.

"Hell yeah." He hissed dark eyes growing malevolent.

"Let me guess, fight back?" Seifer commented dully as he straightened. Axel grinned.

"You know it." He declared chuckling.

Then he paused, turning back to the flame, he grinned.

"Got another question, do I got any luck with that guy Roxas?"

Silence.

"Oh you lying whore…" Axel muttered as the fire went out. "You're worse then a magic eight ball!" Seifer laughed and patted him on the back.

* * *

"Oh _come on_. He does that right in the middle of the street, is he _trying_ to bait us?" A childish voice demanded, legs dangling over the edge of the rooftop. The black hood concealed most of the male's facial features, leaving only a set of pursed lips viewable.

"It _can't_ be this easy." His companion muttered, the girlish voice filled with obvious dislike. Arm crossed, the hood of his coat masked his expression but it was clear to anyone listening just how the man felt.

"You're right, it isn't." A voice interrupted. Both figures turned and backed up a step as they found a youth with jaggedly cut silver hair, a black bandanna over his eyes.

"_You!_" The girlish one snapped. The one sitting sighed.

"Aww… do we hafta fight?" He moaned.

Crouching slightly, the silver-haired youth held up his hand, as dark light shot from his hand, in the midst of the shadows and wisps of light a blade materialized, black in hilt and splashed with red, the tip gleamed as he smirked.

"Only if you're not afraid." He hissed. "Just what are you and your Organization trying to do?" He demanded.

"None of your business." The one standing said calmly. "And if you want to live, you had best back off."

The silver youth smirked.

"Who's living today?" He asked sneering. "Last I remembered, I handed you your ass on a platter." He retorted with a dark chuckle.

"And last time I checked, you had your butt whooped by the kid." The one sitting replied grinning like an imp. "Ain't that right Riku?" Flipping back his hood, Demyx grinned at his opponent, eyes cheerful. Riku hissed.

"If you won't talk, I'll make you by _force_." He challenged raising his blade and dashing forward. Rising to his feet, Demyx sighed. "I hate this… he _always_ gives me the doom missions." He muttered as he held out his hand, summoning a dark blue instrument into his palm, he twirled it in the air once, and as the instrument came to a rest in his other hand, he brought his free arm down with a laugh.

"Dance water, _dance!_" He cried with a jovial fling of his arm.

Riku skidded to a stop as he raised his sword in defense to slash away the water clones with a curse.

Behind Demyx, his companion nodded.

"You seem to have this, I will fetch the boy." He said quietly, and vanished into a dark portal.

"W-what? Hey hold on-! _Vexen_!" The boy shrilled angrily, only to yelp as a blade struck his hastily raised Sitar, turning to glare back at his attacker, he pouted angry cerulean met his emerald green eyes.

"You guys are just no fun…" He muttered as he dodged a deadly strike.

* * *

Axel sighed as the light turned.

"About ti-!"

"HOLY HELL." Seifer yelped as he pushed Axel out of the way as a wave of water flooded over the rooftop above them.

Hitting the ground with a yelp and a nasty scrape to the chin, Axel hissed as he got to all fours and turned to look at Seifer, stunned as his eyes took in the water that hit the ground around them with a resounding splash. In some spots the force was so great it cracked the sidewalk.

"Seifer? The fuck is going-?"

"You're coming with me." A voice interrupted and Axel froze.

Literally.

The water turned to ice all around them, pinning both teens' legs and arms to the ground. In the case of Seifer, he was frozen by his back onto the cement. The blonde cursed as he glanced up to find a darkly hooded figure.

"_You…_" Axel breathed in shock as he stared at the man.

Pulling back his hood, the male smiled at him, his dirty blonde hair was neatly combed and swept behind his shoulder.

"Now, come with me." Vexen said quietly as he stepped out of the dark portal and walked calmly towards Axel.

The redhead hissed, of all times for an attack, in the dark of the night on a nearly empty street!

"H-hey! Stay the fuck away from him lamer or I'll-!" Seifer snarled and stopped when the male pointed a hand at him.

Icicles formed on his fingertips, forming what appeared to… a very large, and very pointy, icicle.

"Oh damn." Seifer muttered.

"Die." Vexen hissed as he loosed the icicle at Seifer.

_End Chapter 2._

**No bonus scenes today! D8**


	3. Slipping Masks

**Author's notes:** EPIC FIGHT SCENE! 8D (Smart thing to do after watching The Protector? Probably not… …hahaha… Riku and Demyx fighting using Kung-Fu… phwa hahaha…) Also, there is another hidden scene at the end, not much to do with Moby, that's coming up in later chapters when Reno and Axel have a pause in fighting for their lives. Dude, the plot is going too fast! I still have to get half these guys to school! D8

**Summary: **Refer to previous chapters yo! 8D

**Warnings:** Swears, violence, gore, lime (possible, it's in debate), graphic scenes, yaoi (boyxboy love), CRACK, stupid humor, emo!angst

**Pairings:** RenoxRude(**MAIN**), AxelxRoxas(**MAIN**), SoraxRiku, Axelx?, Demyxx?, SeiferxLeon, as well as multiple random and short CRACK pairings. _Subject to change._

**Disclaimer:** We know the drill…

Riu: Lazy ass.

Me: Fuck you. T.T

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Stepping off the train, the tips of his red cape hung next to his ankles, the ragged tips wafting lightly in the breeze.

His crimson eyes, masked by a small hood created by the red cape surveyed the scenes safely from behind the shroud of darkness.

Behind him fellow passengers stayed clear of the mysteriously dark man with pointy golden shoes. And if one looked very hard with perceptive eyes, you could almost pick out the forming of a dark storm cloud above the man's head.

Possibly with rain on the way.

"Are you aware of just how frightening you are?" An amused voice asked, mocking laughter bubbling to his lips. Turning, the man said nothing, his only response the narrowing of his deep crimson eyes.

Passerby observed the exchange between the two men with suspicion and curiosity. The first, hidden behind his red cape was enough of a sight for bored eyes as it was, but throwing in the second man and well…

To be quite frank, it looked like the circus was in town.

His long black hair, striped with locks of white had been tied back into a loose ponytail and thrown over his shoulders. His one visible golden eye, nearly yellow in color was clearly amused, the other was hidden beneath an eyepatch.

Dressed in a series of punk clothes, leather pants matched with a white shirt and black leather jacket, the scars added a vicious air around the man.

Pulling a cigarette from his fanged teeth, the filter end slightly chewed, the man sneered as he flicked the butt onto the ground and squished it beneath his leather combat boots.

"So, you're the latest experiment from headquarters." He said in a smarmy manner as he walked up to the man and circled him like prey. Still the caped man said nothing. "Well, my name is Xigbar, let's get going." He called and walked off, however the man did not follow.

Instead his eyes wandered over to a group of children that caught his eye.

"_Namine!_" A girl with deep red hair cried running over, her flip flops slapping the ground of the train station. Slamming into an nearly identical copy of herself that stepped off the train, save for a slightly altered hairstyle and blonde locks rather then red, the two proceeded to hug in a manner befitting only those of long separated friends.

"Kairi! I'm so glad to see you!"

"So am I! I can't believe he let you out, he's usually so…" The redhead trailed off, looking sheepish and the blonde smiled chipperly.

"I know. How is everyone?"

"I called Riku earlier, but his cell is shut off, it probably means he's working."

"Oh… I see…"

"I'm sorry, I know you've missed him. We'll go find him, and then we can both beat him up for ditching you." Kairi cried pulling back from the blonde slightly and smiling at her encouragingly. Namine smiled.

"That'll be great!"

"Hey! Hurry your ass up!" Xigbar snarled, turning, the man was startled to find his escort so far away already, turning he began to walk off.

Once he'd caught up to the scarred man on the steps to the tram station, they were about to descend the steps into town when a voice caught his attention.

"Mister!" Turning slightly, he was alarmed to find a pair of innocent blue eyes staring up at him. Blinking, he said nothing, only stared.

"You dropped this!" Namine exclaimed, mildly out of breath at the short run that had ensued when she had tried to catch up to him.

Holding it up, he was alarmed to find a set of metal links in her hand, ending off in a three headed metal ornament.

His Cerberus chain. Taking it from her outstretched hand, he glanced down at it, before returning his glance to her.

"Hm… thank you." He said in a hoarse voice, as if he were unused to speaking. Namine smiled brightly.

"Sure." Catching up to her, Kairi smiled and bowed once to the man.

"C'mon! Let's get going!" She said happily grabbing her hand. Dragging the stumbling blonde away, Namine managed to wave back to him cheerfully before she fell into step with Kairi laughing.

"Tch, fucking cheerful brats." Xigbar muttered darkly pulling another cigarette from the pocket of his jacket. "Hey, mister dark and gloomy, you got a name?" He demanded stuffing the poisonous stick in his mouth and began patting down his sides for a lighter.

The male, still staring after the radiant girl whose light had cut through his emotionless barrier, glanced sidelong at Xigbar and blinked.

"Project 27."

"Shit man I meant like the name I'm supposed to call you." Xigbar muttered darkly. "I am not running around calling you that." He said with a furious glare. The man shrugged again.

"… Vincent."

"Vincent huh? Sounds cheesy, whatever. Let's get going, we're late." Xigbar muttered as he walked off still patting down his pockets for a lighter. This time, after calmly pocketing his Cerberus chain, Vincent followed.

If one looked quickly as he pocketed the item, they could catch sight of the sunlight glinting off an object. Something that appeared to be a metal claw grafted onto his other arm.

* * *

Seifer's eyes were closed.

But he wasn't dead yet. No, rather his eyes were cinched together tightly and he was muttering over and over;

"Don't want to die, don't want to die, goddamn I haven't even gotten sucked off by Squall yet!" He hissed darkly. Axel had to resisted this tremendous urge to burst out laughing.

"Seifer you asshole, open your goddamn eyes!" He snapped instead.

The blonde obeyed, blinked, then stared.

He was _not_ seeing this.

"Interfering as always." Vexen hissed angrily, something that resembled a blue shield attached to his arm, the vicious spikes protruding from the end looked extremely sharp. His opponent wasn't intimidated.

"Of course." Came the stoic reply, the male's dark eyes were focused, intent. The icicle that had been intent on ending Seifer's life was in pieces on the ground.

But what had Seifer's eyes was the item in his hands, a heavy and deadly looking blade that had blocked it.

(The wielder's ass also had his eyes too but…)

"Leon!" A female voice called. Axel shifted his gaze to glance behind him, something very awkward with his knees and hands frozen to the ground.

Skidding to a stop next to them, the female with shortly cropped black hair and eager round eyes grinned at Axel.

"Well you're in a pinch." She said laughing as she glanced at Axel.

"Not funny Yuffie, get me out of this thing!" He snarled. Yuffie smiled.

"All too happy to." She cried reaching up. Grabbing a four pointed necklace from around her neck, she tossed it up once. Axel's eyes widened as light flared once, and when the pendant had settled back into her hand, it was a vicious four pointed shuriken.

"Axel, kick my nuts, I'm dreaming." Seifer commented wide eyed. Axel didn't reply, mostly because he couldn't move his lower jaw at the moment.

"Out of my way!" Vexen hissed whipping his hand at Leon. Immediately a line of icicles shot up from the frozen ground, straight at the swordsman.

Hefting his blade, Leon wielded the gunblade with one hand, and slammed it down creating a giant shockwave.

Striking the ice pillars, an explosion ensued sending ice chips flying in all directions.

"Hey! Something a little less dangerous please?" Yuffie demanded as she held up her weapon and narrowed her eyes slightly.

Jumping up slightly for momentum, she whipped her weapon at Axel, the shuriken glowing an eerie white.

Hitting the ground, it split into four points, suddenly transforming into kunai, the blades struck the ice around Axel's hands and knees, and shattered it. Yuffie grinned as she caught the reformed shuriken in her hand.

"Ha ha! I'm still the best!" She cried happily as she landed. Staggering to his feet, breathing warmth back into his numb fingers, Axel glanced around, his eyes not understanding.

"Just… what's going on?" He whispered, more fear then shock in his eyes.

"Yuffie!" Leon cried as he leapt into the air slamming his blade against Vexen's shield. Hitting the ground and skidding slightly on the ice, he pinned her with a determined glare.

"Get him out of here!" He ordered as he ran the tips of his fingers along the edge of his blade from hilt to tip.

Glowing, the light rose in waves of light from the sword, reforming and increasing the height and size of the gunblade.

"Gotcha!" Yuffie cried grabbing Axel's wrist.

"H-hold on! What about Seifer?" Axel demanded as he was yanked by the persistent ninja. Yuffie shrugged.

"He's not priority."

"I'm not **what**?!" Seifer snarled. "Oh that's it! Next gym class, your ass is _mine_ little girl!" Yuffie smiled softly at Seifer.

"I don't think I'll be seeing you in gym class again Seifer, sorry! Bye now!" She called and began to pull Axel away.

Shoving his heels into the cement, Axel ground to a halt, his teeth gritted.

Yelping at the sudden stop, Yuffie turned to glare at him.

"Hey! What's the hold up?" She demanded. Jerking out of her hold, Axel backed away.

"Stay the fuck away from me." He snarled angrily. Yuffie blinked.

"Say what? Axel don't you get it? I'm trying to save you here!" She argued, ignoring the large explosion of ice and light that shook the ground.

"Who the _fuck_ are you?" The redhead demanded instead backing away still. Yuffie matched his steps, confused.

"Axel, it's me! Yuffie Kisaragi!" Axel shook his head violently.

"The Yuffie I know is fun loving, a little bubbly headed, and _definitely_ loyal to her friends! No way in hell she'd leave someone to _die!_"

"Is this about Leon? 'cause I assure you, Leon can totally handle himself." Yuffie complained, still not understanding.

"FUCK woman! I'm talking about Seifer!" Axel bellowed, and spinning around he ran to his friend's side. Bending down next to the blonde, he glanced at Seifer, then hissed.

"Hold still." Reaching down, he began tearing the ice away with his own bare hands around Seifer's arm. "I'll break away the ice at your hands and head, you're probably going to have to lose the jacket." He hissed darkly as he panted at the effort.

"Hey! Axel!" Yuffie snapped standing beside him. "_Forget him!_ We have to get you to safety now!"

"Fuck you bitch." Axel hissed as he continued to chip away the ice with his fingernails. Yuffie winced.

"Dude, stop it and get lost, your hands are bleeding." Seifer muttered softly glancing at Axel. True enough, his hands were becoming chipped and scraped, the crests of his fingernails were breaking and blood was beginning to stain Seifer's coat.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP." Axel snarled as he continued to tear away. "I don't want any complaints from the person I'm saving!" He snapped angrily.

"The hell?! I should get some say in the way I'm rescued!" Seifer yelled furious.

"Well you don't, so shut up bitch!" Axel retorted angrily, his hands beginning to slip in his own blood.

"You _guys_!" Yuffie whined.

Leon hastily blocked a shot of icicles and landed next to them.

"Yuffie! I thought I told you-!"

"Axel. Won't. _Listen_." She broke in angrily. Leon hissed.

"Goddamn brat!" He snarled turning preparing to grab Axel by the waist and run.

His mistake was taking his eyes off Vexen.

With a yell of triumph, Vexen slammed his shield arm into Leon's side, sending the swordsman flying through the air.

Hitting the side of a building, a pained grunt escaped his lips as he slid to the base, the wind knocked out of him. His blade clattered to the ground.

"Leo-!" Yuffie's alarmed cry was cut off as she was slashed in the side by the spikes of Vexen's shield. Hitting the ground, blood splattering the ice around them, she lay on her side, choking on her own blood.

"Y-Yuffie! Leon!" Axel's shocked yell was followed by Vexen's triumphant chuckle.

"And now, you're coming with me." He said smirking at the redhead who stared at him, wide eyed.

"Don't sit there, RUN!" Seifer yelled helplessly from the ground.

And Axel remained there, frozen.

"Come along, number eight." Vexen hissed, his eyes malevolent.

Some part of Axel stirred.

"…_what_?"

"I don't have time to explain, now _come_." Vexen hissed. Axel stayed where he was.

"Not until you explain-!"

"DO NOT ARGUE WITH ME." Vexen hissed raising his arm and bringing it across Axel's face.

The spikes of his shield bit into Axel's cheek, with only a quick shift on Axel's part saving him from a severe cut, turning it into a shallow slice that bled lightly.

Landing across Seifer's body with a small hiss of pain, Axel winced as the blood trickled down his cheek. Placing his hands on Seifer's body for support, his hand brushed over Seifer's pocket, and he blinked.

"Axel…" Seifer hissed, but stopped when Axel glanced at him.

His eyes were an electrifying blue.

"Oh damn." Seifer muttered again, this time dread sinking into his skin. Staggering to his unsteady feet, he turned to face Vexen, his eyes narrowed with hatred.

Vexen smirked at his expression.

"Are you going to fight me?" He demanded calmly as he shifted to place his shield in front of him.

Axel smirked.

Behind him he heard a soft groan, Leon was regaining consciousness, and behind him Yuffie was stirring, her hand on her stomach slowing the blood flow. Fortunately it seemed to be a shallow hit.

"You know, this is usually where I say something kick ass cool." Axel said calmly as he brought his hands up. Vexen stared, confused by the object in Axel's hand.

"But you know what? I only got one thing to say to you man." The redhead continued as he flicked open the lighter cap, and with one smooth motion flicked the gears into life, sparking a flame.

Bringing his other hand to the flame he held it above the tiny flame.

Vexen took a step back as the flame suddenly magnified, enveloping Axel's body but not harming him, covering him almost completely in the fire.

And slowly, the orange of regular flame turned to a searing blue. Around his feet the ice evaporated into steam on the spot. And throughout it all, Axel's electrifying blue eyes were focused on Vexen.

"This is…" The man whispered but broke off as Axel pulled back his hand, holding it at his side. He sneered.

"Never touch my fuck buddy." He snarled and lashed out with a scream. "**Got it memorized?**"

The blue flame shot from his hand, scorching the ice in it's path and swallowed Vexen whole.

Vexen let out a panicked shriek as he hastily summoned a portal, the flames licking at his skin. Falling into the portal, he vanished from sight.

As the flames flickered, then died, Seifer completely dry and freed from the ice stood up and backed away from Axel, the redhead's eyes were narrowed with hatred.

For a moment nothing was said as the flames slowly grew smaller around his body, until at last they turned from blue to orange, Axel's eyes changing with it.

And finally, the flames died away, and when Axel turned to look at Seifer, it was with emerald irises.

"Holy…" Seifer whispered as Axel stared at him, his eyes more then a little frightened. "Axel… you were on fire!" The blonde hissed, stunned. Axel glanced at his hands, one holding the lighter, the other empty, both spotted with his own blood. Both were shaking.

"Dammit… this is why I wanted you to leave." Leon hissed climbing to his feet, his gunblade firmly in hand. "I didn't want your powers awakening." He muttered as he stumbled over. Yuffie climbed to her feet, the wound on her stomach had stopped bleeding.

"P-powers?" Axel demanded feeling faint. Leon nodded.

"We'll talk about this somewhere else, it's not safe here." He hissed. Nodding, Seifer stepped forward.

"Not you." Leon snarled, not feeling pleasant at the moment. Seifer shot him a look, one that for once wasn't filled with lust.

"Fuck you Squall, like it or not Axel is my friend, and I don't give a damn if you got something to say." He snarled. Axel had never felt more grateful to the blonde then in that moment.

"Leon, let it go, we need to leave, the police are coming." Yuffie whispered, and sure enough there were sirens going off in the distance.

"Damn, alright fine, lets go." The swordsman muttered as he straightened. Hefting his blade in one hand, he held it up, and it suddenly vanished into a necklace. One Axel recognized as the pendant Leon wore everywhere. Yuffie held up her shuriken, and it shifted once again into the four pointed choker Yuffie always wore. Clipping that around her throat, she and Leon took off, Axel and Seifer in tow.

* * *

"Come _on_!" Demyx whined as he hastily moved to block an attack from Riku's blade and dodged the swing of a heavy sword. Steadying himself back onto the roof, the blond struck Demyx again, one which the musician dodged with a squeak.

"Two on one is _not_ fair!" He cried dodging another blow from Riku.

"Tough." Was his stoic reply. Gritting his teeth, Demyx danced back a few steps, before raising his hand, bringing it down on his sitar's strings with a flourish, several water clones popped into existence.

Riku smirked as he raised his blade, and as tendrils of darkness appeared around him, he crouched his knees, his blade adjacent to his covered eyes.

"_Dark Aura_!" He snarled as he dashed forward in a burst of speed. Vanishing into the darkness, it was if he was striking several different spots, all at the same time, from several different locations.

Landing with his sword arm across his chest, he stood and turned the sharp tip of his blade on Demyx, behind him all the water clones disappeared into a puddle of water. Demyx bit his bottom lip.

This was _not_ going well…

"_Nine_!" A voice yelled as a portal of darkness appeared at his side. Stepping out of the darkness a hooded figure beckoned to the musician. "This way!"

"But I haven't-!" Demyx protested and his companion growled. Reaching out, he grabbed the blonde's wrist and yanked him into the portal.

"**Hold it!**" Riku snarled as he moved forward, he was halted as several purple shots landed at his feet halting his advance. As the two males vanished into the portal, a new form stepped out, his crimson eyes were dull and lifeless as he stepped onto the rooftop out of the portal.

His red cape flickered in the wind as he held out his hand, the sunlight glinting off the metal carved Cerberus.

With a flash of light, it transformed into a tri-barreled gun, one which he wrapped his gloved hand about and pointed at Riku and his blonde aid.

The teen gritted his teeth as he realized the portal was beginning to vanish. Moving forward, he skidded to a stop as three shots were fire simultaneously, cursing he fell to the ground, having barely dodged the bullets.

"I can't let you do that." The man said in a soft but dark voice. Riku hissed as the portal vanished, maybe if he was quick he could track the aura.

His companion seemed to think the same thing as he suddenly raced forward, slamming his blade at the black haired male. Swinging his gun up to block the strike, the male grunted.

"Riku! Chase them, I'll keep him occupied!" Came the quick order as the male pushed down with brute strength. Nodding to the blond Riku got to his feet and grinned.

"Alright, be careful Cloud!" He cried as he ran to the edge of the roof and jumped the edge.

The blonde swordsman, rather then reply, hastily twisted his body as the red-caped youth twisted the barrel of his gun and fired.

The bullets whizzing past his face, he broke away from the dead lock and planted his feet on the ground, his sword poised in front of him.

"And who are you?" He demanded of the mysterious male. "I've never seen your face before, are you a new lackey for the Organization?" He snarled.

Silence.

Narrowing his startlingly luminous sea blue eyes, Cloud shifted his footing slightly.

"Answer me!"

"Tell me." The male began softly, taking Cloud by surprise. "Why do you exist?" He asked quietly.

Cloud blinked, then gripped the handle of his blade tightly.

"… as a fighter, to protect those dear to me." He said quietly. "As a person, to protect those worthy of protection." He paused, as his eyes softened. "As an eldest brother, to protect those that come after me." The man's eyes narrowed.

"I see."

"And you?" Cloud questioned. "Why do _you_ exist?"

"… I do not know. To kill, I suppose." He answered quietly. Cloud's eyes narrowed.

"To what purpose?" He demanded angrily. The man's eyes slipped shut, his gun lowered slightly.

"… I don't know." Cloud faltered.

His killing intent lessened, he couldn't quite explain it… but something about this man's aura didn't feel… evil.

Suddenly his body tensed and his eyes jerked open. Cloud's eyes narrowed as he renewed his slackened stance, prepared for anything.

For a moment nothing was said, until the man stared into Cloud's eyes, for a moment he said nothing still, then his eyes softened.

"I see. So you too are…" He trailed off, then turned, his gun vanishing back into its ornamental form as he made for the roof's edge.

"W-wait!" Cloud called, stunned. The man paused, just briefly, his hand on the building's edge. "Y-your name, what's your name?" The man blinked, before an amused smile took his face.

"… I was born Vincent. Vincent Valentine." Cloud stared. "And you?" The red-eyed man asked softly.

"… Cloud Strife." Vincent smiled at him.

"It was a pleasure." He said quietly, then all signs of warmth towards the blond vanished as he leapt off the edge. Startled, Cloud dashed over to the edge, but by the time he glanced over into the darkened corridor of the alleyway below, Vincent was nowhere to be found.

"Cloud!" A new voice called. Turning to find the source, he frowned as he found his companion Yuffie standing there, her hand over her stomach, fleck of red were viewable beneath.

"Yuffie, what happened?" He demanded walking over, she panted, out of breath as she smiled at him sheepishly.

"I was distracted, we need to get going."

"Is he safe?"

"Yeah, he's fine, but we need to hurry, his brother might be…"

"He's been taken care of." Cloud said calmly as he held up his blade, clenching his fist around the handle, he watched as it disintegrated into a circular ring, with the head of a lion as its crest. Slipping that around his finger, he turned to look at her.

"Let's go."

"W-what? Wait- who's he being watched by? _Cloooouuudd_!!" She whined as she chased after him.

* * *

"Understood." Rude said quietly as he flipped his cellphone shut. Glancing at him amusedly, Reno laughed.

"Your old man calling you again?" He asked, his eyes alive and jovial, despite their red rim. Rude smirked at him.

"We should head home." He advised quietly and Reno laughed.

"Whatever you say man." He said as he began walking, hands in his pocket. Rude watched his back with a sigh.

_Reno…_ He thought dully as he began to follow.

Moving his feet forward, he suddenly paused in a single step as he glanced out the corner of his eye over his shoulder, sudden movement caught his eye.

They were being trailed.

Odd… by who? Moving quickly to catch up with Reno, he grabbed the redhead's thin limb and began to pull him to move faster.

"Someone's following us." He hissed in explanation and Reno's eyes widened.

"By who?" He whispered back as he quickly caught up to match the pace.

"I don't know…" Rude murmured softly in response as they moved to turn a corner.

Suddenly he tensed.

"Rude-?" Reno began, but broke off as a strangled grunt of pain escaped Rude's lips, and at last he toppled to the ground.

"Rude!" Reno yelled as he crouched down next to the male, his eyes filled with fear as he glanced around, trying to find what was wrong.

They landed on two kunai shaped objects embedded in his shoulder, one sparked with violent lightning.

"What the…?" He whispered shocked.

"One down…" A soft voice whispered as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Whipping his head around, red locks flying about his face, they landed on a trench-coat hidden figure, one decidedly female.

"Who-?!" He began when several lightning lit kunai were thrown at his head. Dodging them with a yelp, they clattered to the ground behind him, exploding into a shock of lightning.

"Oh, you can actually fight." The voice commented amusedly, a tinkle of laughter behind those words.

"There are more of you?" Reno demanded backing away slightly in terror. The woman smiled as she pulled back her head.

"Of course stupid. I'm Larxene, number 12." She explained, her light eyes went dark with anticipation. Twisting her body as her hands clenched around several more kunai, she smiled. "And you… need to die." She hissed.

Reno tensed, the familiar feeling of fear began to take over his mind, but a soft groan at his side broke through that reverie. Glancing to his side, his eyes widened.

Rude. If he froze, Rude was dead for sure.

So instead Reno shifted, his hands rose up to take the defensive position as he shifted into fighting form.

Larxene broke into laughter.

"Are you serious?" She demanded as Reno glared at her. Then a smirk formed on his lips.

"Fuck yeah bitch." He called grinning. Tensing, he suddenly ran forward. Larxene laughed as she jumped back and released 3 kunai at him, each of their tips sparked with lightning.

"Then come at me with all you have _boy!_"

**BONUS  
**_Hidden Scene_

"Oh seeexxxxyyyy…" Cajoled a voice in a singsong manner throughout the bookstore.

Leon winced. Behind him Yuffie and Cloud shared a glance.

"Oh hey, is that a book on what to do if your about to be eaten by alligators?" Cloud suddenly called glancing skyward.

Leon twitched.

"Well by god Cloud I think it is, let's investigate!" Yuffie cried as she clung to his shoulder and began pushing forward.

"Definitely! Never know when you're going to be eaten by alligators!" Cloud cried as the two of the made a hasty exit, stage left.

Growling, Leon glared at their retreating backs, his molars making unpleasant grinding noises.

"If you're going to ditch me, just _say so_!" He snapped after them.

"Hey there carnal desire on legs." A soft voice purred behind him as a hand wrapped around his waist and pulled him against a rock hard chest.

Despite this situation having been repeated multiple times, it still brought a heavy flush to Leon's cheeks as he struggled to pull away from the firm chest.

It never worked, despite their strength being something of equal, he was never able to escape Seifer's grip, some part of his mind was beginning to tell him maybe he didn't _want to_.

"Seifer…" Leon growled darkly.

"Mm'yes?" The blonde said in a husky voice as he bent his head to nibble lightly on the brunette's ear. Leon gritted his teeth as a wave of heat shot through his body.

"Stop. That." He hissed. Seifer smiled.

"Stop what?" He asked coyly proceeding to nip his way down the man's neck next.

"_Dammit Seifer_!" Leon snarled pushing away successfully this time. Kind of.

Twisting Leon in his arms, Seifer smiled cheerfully at the man who was obviously growing uncomfortable.

"Y'know… I think I like it when you scream my name." The blonde said cheerfully.

"You goddamn…" Leon hissed pushing at Seifer's chest angrily.

"Oh come on, it's not like I'm doing anything bad…" Seifer protested as he leaned in, possibly to steal a kiss from the brunette when a soft and curious voice broke in.

"Uhm… what are you guys doin'?" Blinking, Seifer paused and Leon stared, both turned their heads unanimously to find what appeared to be…

Two young…

Wide eyed…

Innocent…

And _very_ impressionable children.

…shit.

Leon went very pale. Seifer grinned.

"Well, I'm showing someone I care very much about just how much I love him." Seifer said cheerfully as he planted a very thorough, and _very_ deep kiss on Leon's stunned lips.

The boys blinked, then grinned.

"Hey, we're best friends right?" One said to the other.

"Totally ya'!"

"Let's go try!" The shorter when called running off grinning.

"Tidus, wait up!" The redheaded lad cried as he chased after the boy.

"Oh boy…" Came Cloud's dark mutter as the two returned. Seifer pulled back for a breath and grinned at the blond who sipped what appeared to be a smoothie, very emo-ishly.

"Just in case, you guys know that if their mothers cry law-suit, I got nothin' to do with it." Yuffie commented sipping a purple colored smoothie. Seifer chuckled, Leon was still paralyzed.

"Well anyway… back to where we left off…" He commented and moved to lower his lips onto Leon's again when a hand came up between them. Blinking, Seifer stared at Leon's gloved hand confused.

"Seifer…" Leon began in a soft voice, and the blonde blinked. There was a soft glaze over Leon's eyes as he pressed willingly against the blonde.

Stunned, but not willing the question the sudden change, Seifer grinned.

"What is it sexy?" He asked smirking as he pulled Leon closer.

Leon smiled as leaned in, his lips nearly touching Seifer's.

"I just… want you to know…" He paused and Seifer nearly melted as Leon grinded their hips together.

"What?" He whispered in a thick voice. Something in the back of his mind warned him in a sagely voice to beware this sudden change.

But that was mowed over by the 'WOO, I'M A HORNY RETARD' voice.

Leon smiled.

The smile turned sinister.

"That," He began slamming the heel of his leather boot down on Seifer's foot. "you're a total," he continued as his elbow found Seifer's gut. The blonde gave a grunt as he stumbled back. Leon sneered as he reared back.

"Oh this'll be good." Was Yuffie's comment.

"**_Asshole_**." Leon snarled as he delivered his right hook to Seifer's face.

Reeling from the blow, the blond hit the ground, dazed.

In the background Yuffie held up a big white cardboard sign with the letters 'KO' written upon it cheering.

Cloud continued to moodily sip his smoothie.

Nursing his stinging hand, Leon grinned with vicious satisfaction.

"Bastard." He muttered walking out of the store, his friends in tow.

As he did, he heard among the rows of books…

"Oh my god! Kyaaa!" Came a delighted squeal. "That is sooooooooo kyuuuuute you guys!" A female voice gushed.

"Awww… quit watching Selphie, it makes it awkward."

"Totally ya'!"

Leon facepalmed.

_And somewhere off in the distance…_

"And then when I was four days old… my master fed me 6 thin slices of cheese and a cricket! It was delicious!" Moby said happily, perched on his toilet.

In front of him sat Sora, listening with keen interest as he sucked on his sea-salt ice-cream, perched happily on the floor of Reno and Axel's bathroom.

_Why do I get this feeling Sora isn't listening to me…?_ Riku thought with a sinking feeling as he raced over the rooftops.

_To be continued…_

**As funny as before? I think not… though I'm still amused though by the whole Cloud's "Is that a book on what to do if attacked by alligators?"**

"**By jove Cloud you're right! This calls for investigation!"**

"**ASSHOLES." **

**Poor Leon, he's unloved.**

**And Vincent got an emo cloud! XD**


	4. Clear Skies

**Author's notes:** Well I've contracted some terrible disease, nothing life threatening mind you (though I beg to differ from my dear mommy's opinion) and am now confined to my room will all sorts of horrible little ailments. The thing about being sick is you get pampered, some good, some bad. The good part would be you get to lie in bed resting, the downside is some of the stuff you have to eat. While some things are rather nice, like chicken noodle soup and orange juice, other things like oatmeal(which I hate with a passion), horrible Chinese health soups (it's got liver in it, it smells horrendous!!), and water (having to drink so much the bathroom becomes your best friend) that the process of getting better is just about as bad as being sick! But enough ranting, I figured I should do good things with my time, so on with the story…

**Summary: **Flibbitygibbit. O.o

(I laugh every time I open the window and see this…)

**Warnings:** Swears, violence, gore, lime (possible, it's in debate), graphic scenes, yaoi (boyxboy love), CRACK, stupid humor, emo!angst

**Pairings:** RenoxRude(**MAIN**), AxelxRoxas(**MAIN**), SoraxRiku, Axelx?, Demyxx?, SeiferxLeon, as well as multiple random and short CRACK pairings. _Subject to change._

**Disclaimer:** …

Riu: Saaaaay it.

Me: …

Riu: SAAAAYY IT.

Me: …

Riu: FOR THE LOVE OF FUZZY JUST SAY IT!

Me: -snoooooore-

**Chapter 4**

There was decidedly nothing overly threatening about a man in a towel.

Or that's what Leon _used_ to think. It had been common sense, seeing someone run around in nothing more then a strip of white cotton around his waist gave a distinct feeling of 'harmless'. So why was this not consistent with Seifer? At the moment they were in Leon's home, his foster father was out at the moment at work in the garage below, fortunately the brunette had been able to sneak Seifer, Axel and Yuffie into the house without notice. Axel had tended to his hands almost immediately by washing the dried blood from his cracked nails and aching fingertips, now his hands were horribly reminding Leon of a mummy's fingertips. Yuffie had long since cleaned her wound and bandaged it with such practiced ease that Axel and Seifer couldn't help but wonder if such a thing was a norm for the cheerful and easily excited girl.

As for Seifer? Well since the male was in danger of pneumonia, even though all his clothes had been nearly char broiled by Axel's flames, had been forced to undress, shower, and now emerged walking around smelling of Leon's mint body-wash with nothing more then a towel around his waist, and one around his neck. Something that left Leon feeling unfortunately, distinctly aroused. And for what reason he couldn't possibly fathom why. At the current moment the brunette was gazing at a spot he deemed overly important to analyze on the wall, anything to ignore the sleek image of male ferocity that was standing his room, his skin still gleaming with water droplets. If someone had told him at that moment Seifer was harmless, he would have given a rare laugh, there was nothing harmless about Seifer. He nearly felt like prey to the predator, or maybe the virgin stared at by bedroom eyes.

… HALT THE FLIPPIN' TRAIN. Where had _that_ thought come from?!

"Leon, why are you blushing?" Yuffie asked dully as she bent down to peer at the male who avoided direct eye contact. Axel didn't take quite that long to put two and two together as he chuckled.

"Because Seifer's a sexy man beast." He commented idly as he flopped onto Leon's bed and lay on it breathing deeply, relaxing his tense shoulders. Seifer smirked as he stood there, ignoring the cool breeze across his bare, well sculpted, washboard tight, slightly tanned, drool worthy-

"FUCK." Leon snarled getting to his feet and storming out of the room, slamming it behind him.

"Leon?" Yuffie whined after him, confused as Axel burst out laughing. Seifer shook his head, though an amused (and possibly coy) smile curled his lips into a flawless smirk.

"Don't worry about him." He soothed the female as he patted her head in a patronizing manner. One which Yuffie recognized as she swatted the arm away growling.

"Stop that." She muttered as she straightened her hair by patting it repeatedly. Axel smiled at them from his position on the bed.

"So, Yuffie, what's the deal? Why are you and Leon the secret fighters of justice and why am I suddenly a much handsomer version of the human torch?" He asked sitting up, the smile falling from his face as he stared at the girl, his suddenly expression dead serious. Seifer snorted, but didn't question Axel's choice of words. Sighing and holding a hand to her suddenly throbbing temples, Yuffie plopped onto a bean sack chair in the corner and glanced at the redhead boredly.

"Okay, how much do you know?" She asked dully. Seifer rolled his eyes, never ask a smart aleck that.

"Well I know Earth is round, that the sky is blue, the grass is green, Seifer's a prick, I'm sex on a stick, the first hundred digits of pie are 3.1519-" He dodged a clock to the face laughing as Yuffie fumed, her face twisted with mock anger.

"You damn bastard, you know what I mean!" She snapped as she plopped back down on the bean sack. Axel as he shifted the clock so he could scooch back on the bed to lean against the wall shrugged.

"Only that the psychotic murderers who murdered my parents are part of what I guess is a bigger Organization that loves wearing black cloaks." He commented idly as he leaned tiredly against the white plaster, suddenly feeling the day's toll on his shoulders. Seifer took this time to lean against the wall next to the door as he crossed his arms in speculation.

"And that they have what appear to be really bad knockoff powers of the X-Men." He added in shaking his head. Yuffie groaned.

"Then sit back, this is going to take a long time to explain." She said flatly, her throat already feeling dry. "To summarize it quickly, seeing as we all have school tomorrow and _some _of us don't really want to sleep through homeroom tomorrow," she added in eyeing Seifer who smirked. "here's how it goes. A couple of years ago, about 20 maybe, a man named Ansem, often called Ansem the Wise, headed a branch of human research under the request of the government. That branch was, publicly, working on ways to grow stem cells for various medical uses."

"And in actuality…?" Axel asked quietly, his eyes focused on Yuffie as she sighed.

"Details are fuzzy, but we found out they were actually working on methods of cellular enhancement in the human body. You know, faster regeneration, increased adrenaline surges for longer stamina, self induced stress-period chemicals to raise strength, speed and awareness, that sort of thing." She said with a shrug.

"Ultimate soldier shit you mean." Seifer clarified as his eyes narrowed.

"Basically. Only when they were in the final stages of developing the nearly finished product, Ansem broke away declaring that what they were doing was unethical, and fled when the government tried to hunt him down." Axel blinked at that.

"Unethical?"

"Yeah." Yuffie whispered. "Because the finished product eliminates all chances of a normal life. The person diagnosed with the serum they developed begins to grow… certain traits, traits that will distinguish you from the rest of humanity. Traits that eventually might even lead you to become insane." She declared softly. Axel winced.

"So then what?" Seifer continued, storing that little tidbit away as he glanced at Axel, his mind starting to click the pieces together.

"Ansem the Wise vanished from the public eye, but his apprentices in the research branch… they continued on the work, and rumor is they've finally succeeded in producing the perfect set of soldiers. About 17 years ago, they apparently found the perfect serum." Yuffie informed them.

"… and?" Yuffie blinked as Axel stared at her, his green eyes narrowed.

"And what?"

"Why aren't we being swarmed with perfect little soldiers who have superior speed, strength and can whoop ass with super powers?" Yuffie smiled at that.

"Well… Ansem's apprentice, Xemnas had a little… mishap happen to his two perfect soldiers."

"Two?" Seifer repeated and Yuffie sighed.

"The serum has one serious flaw, for effective growth into the powers, it has to be injected when you are still an infant, no older then 4, max. And that's the least of your problems, the serum causes insanity by overworking the cells in the brain because that is after all when your body is the most frail as well, the only way to prevent insanity, is to connect the mind of the baby whose been injected with the serum to another, preferably someone of the same age and equal mentality so that it works to in effect, anchor the minds together. However to do that, that requires an electric pulse conducting wire to be inserted into the cerebrum of both babies and of course some serum would transfer over to the other baby, only that baby would be considerably weaker in power." She explained.

Seifer felt a vein twitch, why must there _always_ be thinking involved…?

Axel nodded. "I get it, so the perfected serum was injected in one baby, traveled to the other via the wire, but… what's the difference between the old and the perfected serum?" The redhead asked curiously, really getting into this now. Yuffie's eyes narrowed.

"Their powers are equal, and not to mention, incredibly powerful compared to the previous results. They are, in effect, the perfect and final stage of the experiment."

"I see." Axel muttered and Seifer scowled.

"Well I don't, want to enlighten the dumbass over here?" He snarled, feeling more then a little frustrated at being left out. Axel smirked.

"In other words, there are two sides, Ansem and this Xemnas's. Both are responsible for creating a serum, an injection that creates two mutant babies, one with end of the world elemental powers, the other with… I'm guessing those weapon summoning skills. Am I right?" He asked looking at Yuffie who nodded grinning.

"And I'm also going to guess that since Xemnas finally managed to create the perfect serum, he lost it somehow and can only regain it by taking back the two perfect soldier babies." He declared quietly, his gaze hard. Yuffie nodded again.

"Right."

"So I should also assume that means me and Reno, since they've been chasing us." Axel finally whispered. Yuffie sighed.

"Unfortunately yes." Seifer rolled his eyes.

"So that would mean your side wants them too." Yuffie shrugged.

"Heck if I know, DiZ never tells anyone anything, 'cept his favorite pal soldier." She said idly shrugging.

"DiZ?" Axel repeated, confused. "I thought Ansem was the Xemnas of your Operation." The redhead declared staring. Yuffie grinned.

"You don't stay out of circulation _that_ long by going by the same name silly!" She declared laughing.

"Okay, let me see if I've got this straight." Seifer muttered as he broke in, a migraine building in the recesses of his head. "There are two sides. Ansem or DiZ, whatever, runs the 'good' side with the guys who can only summon weapons, like you and Squall." A nod.

"The other side, ruled by this Xemnas, is the 'bad' side who has the guys who can summon the elements, like mister icicle up the ass back there." He continued.

Another nod.

"And all these people who are fighting, have been infected with this serum that makes them really jazzed up super heroes."

Another nod and a frown.

"I don't like that word infected." Yuffie muttered darkly, Seifer ignored her.

"And now there's this perfect version of the soldiers running around, and we figure them to be Axel and Reno." The blonde finally finished, his gaze deeply intent.

When he received another nod to this, he sighed, slipping his eyes shut.

"Glad you understand." Yuffie replied grinning. Seifer snorted.

"Fuck you think I understand? This is way to geeky for me, pardon me while you guys continue with your save the world discussions, I'm going to find a beer and drown myself in alcohol so that maybe when I wake up tomorrow this will all be a dream." The blonde muttered absently as he scratched the back of his head, and still dressed in only a towel, opened the door and walked out, shutting it quietly behind him. For a moment Axel said nothing, then turned to look at Yuffie with dark eyes.

"So I can assume they will need my brother as well?" At this Yuffie shifted uncomfortably and Axel's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What is it?"

"Well… to be honest, even if you're both equal in power, the one who has the serum Axel… is you." She mumbled. Axel frowned.

"And what does that mean?" He demanded.

"It means," a cold voice broke in as a male flipped through the open window and landed on the ground with ease. Turning his sea green eyes on a shocked Axel, Cloud brushed some dust off his sleeve and shook his head. "that you're the only one they need, and to prevent us from even getting a glimpse of what could lead to the serum, they'll kill him after kidnapping you."

* * *

The crack of flesh striking flesh echoed in the room, almost overwhelming the silent hum of monitors and the soft beeps of motors whirring. 

Standing there, head at an awkward angle as his cheek began to grow red from the backhanded strike, Demyx bit his lower lip but made no other outward sign of pain.

"Why is it… that no matter what I do, you _always_ fail me number 9?" A deep, rich and sinister voice demanded softly, the speaker's golden orbs that served as eyes nearly glowing with livid rage.

"I apologize for my failure." Demyx said softly, eyes lowered as he ignored the pain that stung his cheek. "Forgive me Superior."

"I'm warning you, if you slip up once more, pray to whatever spirits you believe in, because I will kill you." The speaker hissed and Demyx shivered as he nodded, moving away as he left the room, head still bowed. As soon as the door was shut behind him, Demyx leaned against it with a relieved sigh.

"Still alive? Amazing." Came a snide voice, and Demyx winced, turning on the speaker, he accusingly jabbed a finger into the man's chest, his face furious.

"Why did you interfere? If you hadn't stopped me I wouldn't be walking such a tight line right now, Xigbar!" Demyx snarled angrily at the man who gazed stonily back at him.

"You were losing kid, you honestly thought you could win? Mister-failed-test?" The man asked sneering as he spoke around a cigarette clenched between his fangs.

"_**Damn you**_!" Demyx snarled slapping him full across the face, though one could almost see the tears building in those bright green eyes. "I am _not_ weak! I am _not_ a failed experiment! It is _not_ my fault the serum didn't make me as strong as the rest of you!" He screamed as he aimed a right hook at Xigbar's face, only to have it caught in a crushing grip by the gunner's own hand. All anger evaporated as the man twisted the hand downwards painfully, forcing the musician to fall to his knees with a whimper of pain.

"You're pathetic number 9, know your limits. What I do and why I do it is my business alone. Got it?" He snarled as he released Demyx's hand with ease. Fighting against the tears, and at least managing to hold them back, to his credit, Demyx hissed out in a hoarse voice;

"Why do you _hate_ me?" He demanded.

Xigbar was silent as he stared at the blonde, then shrugged.

"Dunno." He muttered as he began to walk off.

"Wait!" Demyx cried and Xigbar paused in surprise as he turned, only to find the blonde standing as he plucked Xigbar's cigarette from his lips. Before the gunner could even speak, his precious cancer stick was crushed beneath Demyx's boot and the blonde was walking off calmly.

"Stop smoking, you're going to die of cancer." The musician snapped haughtily back. Stunned, Xigbar watched his retreating back, before blinking, then chuckling softly.

_That kid is too cute for his own good sometimes…_

* * *

Hitting the wall with a sickening crunch and the sound of something sure to be broken, Reno slid to the base of the building side feeling full of more holes then one of his archery club targets. And Axel said he had a hard head, yeah right. 

"I thought you were going to give me a fight, _boy._" Larxene said as she walked up to him, amused beyond all belief. Reno gave her a crooked grin tinged with the pain he felt as he grabbed his bleeding shoulder, hoping to staunch the flow.

"W-what, are you kidding? I'm just gettin' started yo…" He gasped out, and coughed up a bit of blood. Evidentially when she had stabbed her kunai through his chest, she had nicked a lung.

How the hell was he still _alive?_

"Is that so?" Larxene asked, her eyes narrowing as a sneer curled her lips. "Well then, allow me to spare you the trouble of 'gettin' started' and end it now." Raising her left arm into the air, her hand flipped at a 90 degree angle, fingertips facing the sky as lightning began to circle the sky and kunai began to form in the air above him from nothing. Reno glanced up, eyes widening with horror. Staring at the blades above him, his body went numb as the terror faded into raw agony.

"Axel…" He whispered as Larxene swung her arm down with a flourish, bringing the blades with it.

* * *

"So where have you been?" Yuffie asked Cloud enthusiastically. Axel stared at the blonde as he slid in through the window and brushed off his black turtleneck with ease, then crossed his arms and leaned against the window sill in a very Leon-ish pose. 

"Securing perimeter, where's Leon?" He asked very quietly, in a voice so soft that Axel had to actually lean forward to hear what he said.

"Downstairs I think, why don't we go check?" Yuffie asked jerking her thumb at the bedroom door. Cloud nodded.

"C'mon Axel, let's go bug the grumpmeister!" The young girl squealed as she grabbed the redhead's arm and began dragging him towards the door.

"H-hang on! You never told me Cloud was a part of your weird group!" He got out in a strangled voice as he stumbled towards the door after Yuffie, Cloud followed behind the two of them.

"Oh I didn't? Whoopsie! Musta' slipped my mind!" She cried out giggling. "Let's go already!"

"Who **else** are you leaving out you psycho?!"

"No one, no one!"

"Why don't I believe you…?"

Down below in the kitchen, Leon was at the sink getting his hands wet as he washed dishes and stacked them into a neat pile. He was currently cleaning a rather stained plate when Seifer found him and couldn't (or chose not to) resist the temptation of curling his arm around the swordsman's waist. Leon, to his amazement did not yelp, squirm or spin around fists at the ready, instead the brunette sighed and closed his eyes as his hands stopped moving.

"Seifer, I'm not in the mood." He growled out in a surly voice. Seifer smiled as he leaned in and gave the brunette a little nip to the ear before pulling back much to Leon's surprise.

That was before Seifer grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, slamming his chest first against the hardwood table in the middle of the kitchen and pinning him there with a hand pressed firmly against his neck.

"SEIFER!" Leon growled his hand scrabbling against the hard surface as he fought in vain to glance over his shoulder at the blonde who calmly grabbed the collar of Leon's white shirt, and ripped the cloth down the middle exposing his backside. "What the fuck are you-?!" The swordsman hissed a flush staining his cheeks when Seifer gave a little noise of disapproval.

"Of course you're not in the mood shit head. Not when you've got this on your back." The blonde stated in a very 'duh' manner as he ran the tips of his fingers very gently over the large and spreading purple bruise on the other's back. Leon gave a hiss as those cold fingers brushed his sore back as his eyes fell to half mast at the pain. "You got this when that guy threw you against the building didn't you?" Seifer asked quietly as he continued to run his fingers over the bruise, wincing at the ugly purple it was turning.

Leon said nothing.

"Y'know, to be honest before today I always kind of pegged you as a secret gang lord or something." He suddenly commented in a much more amused voice. Leon's eyes flew open with indignation as he tried to glare at Seifer over his shoulder, and found it slightly uncomfortable with his cheek pressed against the wooden surface.

"Oh don't give me that glare, c'mon, I see you show up at school with bruises and bandages all over your fuckin' hot body after a section of town has been roughed up due to some sort of fight, what do you expect me to think? Tell me you didn't expect me to believe that bullshit about it coming from your kendo club." The blonde declared sneering as Leon continued to glare at him.

"And then you hang out with Yuffie who dressed like some gothic chick out of a bondage shop and she's just as badly beaten as you some days. A man's got a right to wonder."

"No, a man doesn't." Leon growled from his position as he pressed his hands against the wooden table, unable to fathom as to why he couldn't push himself up or break from the hold. Seifer's eyes narrowed as a sneer took his lips.

"He does when the guy in question is the one he loves."

Silence.

Seifer's eyes widened in shock, matching Leon's as the brunette ceased to struggle and just gaped at him, an expression of stunned surprise matching the blonde's.

When had lust… turned to love?

"Oh Leeeeeoooooon!" A voice cajoled down the stairs as Yuffie came racing down the steps breaking all thoughts of love and lust when the small and energetic girl saw the two.

There was Leon, pressed against the table with Seifer leaning over him holding him there clutching the brunette's ruined shirt between his clenched fist. It didn't help much that in pinning Leon to the table, Seifer's towel had ridden up some to expose thigh. Axel, dragged to a stop by Yuffie only raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed.

"Well." The redhead commented blinking as Cloud gaped openly. "Not the way I would have chosen to do it, I mean, the kitchen table? How dirty." He remarked blandly.

A small fire of rage enveloped Yuffie as she reached up and grabbed her necklace, transforming it into a shuriken as she glared at Seifer who quickly removed his grip from Leon's neck and started backing up.

"H-hang on, this is not what it looks like-!!" He began.

"BEGONE FOUL BEAST!!!"

"EYAUGH!"

* * *

It was well past midnight when Reno finally stumbled back into his and Axel's shared room, and what he found there was enough to put him off any sort of possible drug he may have considered trying in the past or future. Not only was there a random kid sitting on the floor of his bathroom talking to... the toilet, there were three individuals sitting there, all with elegant silver hair and dressed in leather so tightly bound against their skin, it squeaked. 

Leaving the room and slamming the door shut behind him, he pressed his back against it and glared at Rude who glanced back at him dazedly.

"What's wrong?" He asked mildly concerned as he pressed a handkerchief to his bleeding temple, their two saviors behind him looked equally perplexed. For a moment Reno looked at them stunned, his mouth fluttering open like a fish for a moment, not quite sure how to bring into words what he had seen. After a moment he swallowed.

"... there are three leather dominatrixes in my room."

"Oh for pete's sake..." One particularly long haired individual grumbled as he wrenched open the door and grabbed the collar of Reno who fell backwards with a yelp. Throwing the redhead on the bed, the male proceeded to kneel next to him and pulled out a small metal container he hadn't seen before and upon opening it, revealed it was a medicine kit. "Now hold still you idiot."

"Uh... do you know these people?" Reno asked nervously and Rude had to chuckle a bit.

"Yes, Reno. These three are the only children who have ever been injected with the serum and had it successfully give power to all three. Until they existed, we thought it could only affect two at most per injection. What's strange though is none of them stand above each other, their power levels are all equal so we can't tell who was originally injected."

"Tch, keep talking baldy and I'll shove Souba down your throat so far it'll come out your ass." The shortest one growled as he stood by the window, arms crossed. Rubbing the said head tiredly, Rude held his hand out and gestured to him with a sigh.

"Their names are in order from youngest to oldest: Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo. To be brief, Kadaj is the most volatile despite being the shortest-"

"**Who's** short!?" Came an outraged snarl and Reno winced but froze when Yazoo gave him a dark glare for moving. Rude rolled his eyes, but continued.

"-Loz is the strongest, but also the most easily provoked into crying. He is also the most immature."

"That's not true!" Loz wailed appearing on the edge of bursting into tears and Reno cringed and promptly received a blow to the back of the head for moving again from Loz. Rude wisely ignored the reaction and pointed to the last one, who tended to Reno with a blank expression.

"The eldest is Yazoo. He's the most level headed and flexible of the two body wise. ... please don't comment on his looks." He added very cautiously after a moment and Yazoo tilted his head slightly to look at Rude darkly. That single glare filled with so much dark hatred kept the redhead's mouth shut.

"And the kid in the bathroom?" He asked after a precious moment of silence.

The silence extended into a pregnant pause, before Rude cleared his throat smiling gingerly.

"Not sure."

"M'name's Sora!" The spiky haired lad said and poked his head out of the door and for a moment Reno had to stare because his sunny personality was blinding. "Nice to meet you dorm-mate!" He added happily and Reno stared some more.

"... dorm-mate?" He repeated feeling a touch faint as Sora nodded enthusiastically.

"Room 23, that's the room after 22 if you didn't know-"

"I CAN COUNT." Reno snapped and Yazoo whacked him across the head again causing an abrupt stop in his yell as he cringed. Sora smiled undaunted at the reaction and continued.

"And since room 23 is right after room 22, my room is right next door! I live with my dorm-mate-!"

"SORA."

"No, no that's me, I live with my dorm-mate whose name is Riku!" He said thoughtfully, then glanced at the door. "Wait-" He mumbled, then gulped when he saw a familiar darkly dressed individual at the door who looked tired and sweaty as if he had just run around the block four times searching for him.

... which he had.

"What. Did I say. About leaving the room!?" Riku snarled as he pushed Reno's room door all the way open and stormed into the bathroom and grabbed Sora by the arm looking exhausted. Sora laughed and shrugged it off as he licked a bar of Sea-Salt Ice Cream.

"Sorry, but I was lonely so I tried to talk to the new guys who moved in but they weren't here so I couldn't talk to them. Moby was here though." He added after a moment of though and Riku paused halfway to the door.

"... Moby?"

"Yeah, Moby the turtle!"

"Not the turtle again." Reno moaned and everyone looked at him. There was another pregnant pause.

"Not asking." Riku muttered and dragged Sora out the door as he waved goodbye to everyone merrily. It was another good five seconds before Riku poked his head back in and glared at them all with a twitch visibly pounding in his forehead.

"Rude, Loz, Yazoo, Kadaj, Tifa, Zax, what the hell are you all doing in my dorm building?" He demanded. The two brunnettes, Tifa and Zax who had saved Reno and Rude from Larxene waved at him laughing.

"Mission follow-up."

"Bodyguarding." Kadaj answered for his group looking surly and Riku massaged an aching temple.

"Right. Night guys." And he moved back into his room.

"... 'kay. So is now a bad time to say I am absolutely fucking lost?" Reno added after a moment and they all glanced at him, before looking at each other wondering how to explain.

"Kickass, nice going Reno you got an orgy going! But uh, why are there two chicks? I thought you were hard core gay." Came the dreaded familiar voice of Seifer as he and Axel stopped at the door looking perplexed at finding all these people in his dorm room. Tifa blinked.

"Two?" She glanced around and stopped on Yazoo who narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Oh. ... uh oh." The violence that followed was devastating.

* * *

"Okay, let's get some things straight first." Seifer began looking around the room, amazed they'd managed to cramp so many people in a single small space. "First off, who the fuck are all you people?" 

"Bodyguards." Kadaj said dully still at his spot by the window as Yazoo and Loz nodded confirmation. Seifer nodded.

"And those two?" He pointed at Tifa and Zax who exchanged glances.

_As lightning and daggers streaked towards them, it really looked like this was it._

_Then, from his side vision, Reno suddenly thought he saw a blur of silver, before suddenly a sword taller than him and the width of his waist hit the air in front of them and spun rapidly in one spot as it blocked lightning and kunai. Rude smirked._

_"About time."_

_"**WHAT?!**" Larxene shrieked in fury as a dark blur raced towards her. Striking Larxene's face with a fist and sending her flying, the girl turned on Rude and Reno as the sword came to a stop and hit the ground revealing the girl to have long black hair and kind amber brown eyes._

_"Are you two okay?" She called smiling kindly. Reno wordlessly nodded with a stupefied expression._

_"Well that's good." Another voice commented as a male in black combat boots tromped up to them and picked up his blade, and holding it as if it weighed as much as a feather, he grinned at them flipping a single lock of ebony black hair to the side. "I'm glad we got here in time." He said in a friendly manner as his eyes slid down to Reno and Rude's locked hands, and simply smiled._

_"Who… who the heck are you?" Reno got out past numb lips._

_"Your heroes!" The male said grinning cheerfully as he turned towards Larxene who staggered to her feet and brushed her bruised cheek with the back of her knuckles, fury in her eyes. The girl chuckled._

_"My name is Tifa, his is Zax." She answered with a smirk and turned back to Larxene, her body falling into a fighter's stance._

_Hefting his blade so that the tip pointed at Larxene, Zax smirked and shifted his feet for a better position._

_"Just relax, this one is in the bag." The brunette commented grinning. Hissing like a soaked cat, Larxene felt sweat slide down her temple as she took a step back._

_"Rejects!" She hissed. "Worms unworthy of this power!" She sneered, Tifa and Zax appeared unconcerned by her insults._

_"These 'worms' are going to kick your butt kid." Zax called cheerfully. And with that Tifa flew forward at a speed Reno struggled to keep up with._

_Less then a meter away from Larxene she leapt into the air, twisting her hips as she almost floated through the air, and brought her heel down on Larxene in a drop kick with a force of steel. Throwing up her arms with a grunt to block the blow, Larxene was unprepared that when her forearms blocked Tifa's kick, the brunette twirled in the air, swinging her other heel straight across Larxene's face sending the blonde off her feet with a cry of pain._

_Hitting the ground Tifa launched off the balls of her feet as she dashed forward, and plucking Larxene out of the air by grabbing her wrist, pivoting on the back of her foot, she spun Larxene once in a circle, before whipping her straight up and into the air._

_Appearing in the air above Larxene, Zax smiled at her stunned expression as his sword's edge began to glow a brilliant gold. Hefting the blade he cleaved the air before him sending a wave of gold tinged energy flying at Larxene._

_"Impossible." Larxene managed out with wide eyes before the attack struck._

"... and that's pretty much it." Zax finished from his spot on the bottom bunk where he sat with his arms crossed. Seifer stared at him with a raised eyebrow, before he ignored the rest.

"Okay, so you saved dumbass and dumbass's friend." He simplified and moved on. "What happened to the lightning witch then?" Zax thought deeply for a moment then looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Well...

_"This one's better off dead Tifa." Zax commented dully shaking his head as he hit the ground gently, barely raising a whiff of dust. Walking over to the crater where Larxene lay, he held his sword out one handed, then twirled it so that the tip was pointed at her throat._

_"Sorry, that's just how this war is." Zax murmured and lifted his arm to drop the sword._

_That was before a blur of red dive bombed Zax hitting him in the chest and sending the swordsman flying back before flipping off of him in a swirl of red and cloth. Tifa jumped back, her eyes wide as he hands flew into the upright position. __As the red cloth settled over Larxene in a swirling mass, gunfire could be heard as bullets shot out of the cape forcing Tifa to break her stance to backflip out of the fire. __Getting to his feet, Zax hissed as he raised his blade and jumped in front of Reno and Rude, not forgetting that the objective was to protect those two. __And as the red cape began to flow upwards like a mound of cloth, at last it swirled in a circle one last time, settling on a man's shoulders as he gazed at the two of them calmly, Larxene cradled in his arms._

_"What are you?" Zax whispered wide eyed as Tifa spared a quick glance behind her at another individual who landed on the ground._

_"That is not your concern." The man replied calmly as Larxene in his arms smiled mockingly at them._

_"Maybe another day handsome, looks like I get to escape." She teased him openly as she raised one arm, wincing at the pain and a portal opened behind them, which the red-caped man stepped into._

... and that's how she escaped." He finished and Seifer was now staring at him openly with a disgusted expression on his face. "... what?"

"Can you answer anything without going into a step by step explanation of how it happened?" He demanded ready to tear his hair out as Zax smiled cheerfully in such a remake of Sora's grin that Reno felt a touch disturbed at it.

"Haha, sorry it's just the soldier in me." He admitted and Seifer groaned.

"Okay, so mystery red caped man saves blonde haired lightning woman, I got it. And you three, what are you bodyguarding?"

"Those two." Kadaj answered with a jerk of his thumb at Reno and Axel who blinked, surprisingly though it was Rude who spoke up first.

"Wasn't that my job?" Kadaj snorted at that and turned back to look outside the window.

"Would've been if you hadn't fucked up." He answered moodily as he gazed at the moon, expression sullen and irritated.

"He means," Yazoo interrupted quietly and quickly before Rude could get angry at Kadaj's evasive answers, "that you're too involved with the client to be trusted."

"Bullshit." Rude growled and it was echoed by Reno... and surprisingly Seifer. Everyone looked at the blonde who shrugged in a nonchalant manner.

"Okay, so we know who these three psychoes are, who the big-breasted and porcupine head duo are and-" Seifer paused abruptly and everyone looked at him, well everyone but Tifa and Zax who were trying to figure out who the hell Seifer was talking about when he referred to "big-breasted and porcupine head duo". The blonde was however staring intently at the floor wide eyed with his hands frozen in a very comical state when he had been animatedly talking.

"Er... Seifer?" Reno asked timidly, not sure what had happened. Did he just shut down?

"... Axel, there's a fucking turtle walking on two legs that just came out of your bathroom." Seifer commented after a moment.

"HAH. YES, I'M NOT PSYCHOTIC!" Axel yelled punching the air in triumph. Everyone looked at the two of them like something was severely wrong in their heads, and there was don't get me wrong, but just not the thing they were thinking of.

"I could argue that." Kadaj added in a faint voice as he seemed shocked for the first time that evening.

"Is this insanity hereditary or infectious?" Yazoo asked Reno curiously as he groaned.

"What is this turtle you people keep talking about?" Tifa asked lightly looking perplexed as she followed Seifer's line of sight and saw nothing.

"... it's talking to me, am I supposed to respond?" Seifer asked and Axel shook his head.

"It's already got you in its clutches man, you'd better just give up and surrender."

"... I'm way to tired for this crap." Kadaj moaned as he moved to the door with angry and purposeful strides. "I'll see you tomorrow morning in class-"

"WAIT-!" Axel and Seifer yelled as one and broke off as Kadaj stopped and looked at his foot shocked. It felt like he had kicked something...

A sharp whack followed by a sudden indent in the wall as a small thud sounded and a pile of dust wafted up from the ground directly below it caused a great deal of stares.

"... did I just...?" Kadaj was afraid to ask and Seifer nodded slowly as Axel stared at the spot where the dust had come up.

"... okay, I kicked... an invisible turtle..." Kadaj finished, having issues wrapping his mind around this.

"A ghost of a turtle, actually." Axel corrected for him.

Silence.

"... GOING TO SLEEP." Kadaj finally snapped as he continued moving towards the door, it was Reno who remembered to breathe and speak to Yazoo as they got up to leave as well.

"What did your brother mean he was going to see us in class tomorrow?" The effeminate youth stopped and blinked at him.

"We enrolled at Oblivion Institution yesterday, we'll be your classmates so we can effectively guard you better. You can also seek us out in our new dorm room down the hall, room 29."

"... all three of you?" Reno asked confused and when Yazoo nodded he glanced at the door. "But isn't Kadaj too young?"

"... what do you mean?" Yazoo asked pleasantly confused and Reno sweatdropped.

"Well... he looks like he's sixteen-"

**"I'M NINETEEN THANK YOU VERY MUCH."** Came an angry bellow from down the hall and Reno winced.

"... nevermind, won't ask." Yazoo nodded sharply at him and proceeded to exit without further pause, Loz following behind him yawning and complaning that he needed sleep. After they had exited, Zax and Tifa got to their feet as well and exchanged light pleasantries with Rude before saying they had to leave as well and proceed to their next mission. After Reno thanked them once more for saving their lives, they left, but not before Tifa gave Reno a kiss on the cheek and a wink, then told him to be gentle with Rude's heart which left Reno blinking stupidly in confusion.

Once they had left, Seifer and Axel took their vacated spots and looked at Rude and Reno curiously.

"... you look beat up." Was the first thing out of the redheads' mouths.

"Was attacked by a lightning wielding crazy psycho bitch in a trenchcoat remember?"

"Ah. I got hit by some ice creeper who spoke like a four year old girl on helium."

"... who saved you?" Reno asked after a moment and Axel smirked.

"Did you know Leon and Yuffie are apparently some secret freedom fighters with magical weapons?"

"... well assuming from the look of utter "what the fuck" on my face, I'll have to say no."

"Huh, well guess what else they said?"

"What?"

"Rude's one of 'em." Axel threw out and everyone glanced at the bald man who suddenly shifted and straightened his collar nervously.

"... so... care to explain?" Reno asked pleasantly, but couldn't keep the annoyance in him completely out of his voice or eyes as he looked at his best friend whom he had thought he'd known everything about.

"... you asked for help." Rude said carefully after a moment and when Reno looked confused, he sighed. "This afternoon in the restaurant, you wanted me to help you find out who killed your parents, so I contacted some old friends from my former "gang" days." He explained and ignored the look Axel shot Reno when he mentioned their conversation in the cafe.

"So the rumours about your gang wars being between magical superheroes was actually true?" Seifer asked interestedly and Rude rolled his eyes.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire as they say." He recited and Seifer snorted in disbelief but let the stupid proverb slide.

"The minute you mentioned your parents' killers referred to themselves as Two, I hazarded a guess and passed the information on to Leon's people."

"DiZ's side, right?" Axel asked and they had to pause for a moment to catch Reno up on everything. Once that was accomplished, Rude nodded.

"Leon spoke with DiZ and got approval to protect you two. After all, if you've got the serum we mustn't let Xemnas get his hands on it at any cost, it would be a war then with super humans."

"Pleasant." Axel sighed and Seifer rolled his eyes.

"I feel live I've been thrown into a Marvel comicbook." He grumbled and Reno echoed his statement tiredly.

"So why was Two such an important clue?" He asked after a moment and Rude sighed.

"In Xemnas's organization, there are a series of elite soldiers who possess the original strain of the serum in their blood, not the discard in DiZ's side. We call them Organization 13, because that is how many elites there are."

"Only thirteen?" Axel mumbled. "But... okay, if they have 13 super soldiers and the rest are lackeys, why haven't you guys won yet? I mean, so far you've got..." He held up his hands and began counting. "Cloud, Leon, Yuffie, you, Riku, Kadaj, Loz, Yazoo, Tifa, Zax and Leon told me that's not even half of your people!" Rude rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"Remember we're not as powerful as the originals so we're at a disadvantage to begin with."

"... so why haven't you been wiped out?" Seifer asked dully and Rude smirked here.

"Since DiZ stole the original work, the successful rate of soldiers who don't fall into insanity has been lowered incredibly. They're too afraid to send out the elite soldiers in case one of them dies in a battle. That they sent out not only Organization members, but high ranking ones too after you is confirmation of how badly they want you, and believe you have the serum."

"High ranking?" Axel asked as his dread began to grow.

"Yes, the lower the rank number the more powerful they are. The lightning wielder that attacked us can only be rank 12: Larxene. She's the only female of the Organization elites, and an ice user with a high pitched voice is rank 4: Vexen. The gunner who was referred to as Two was obviously rank 2: Xigbar." He declared and Seifer stored those names away in his memory for later use, he was also curious why Reno had gotten the second weakest member, while Axel had gotten someone below rank five. If Rude was to be believed, that was a major gap in power. Axel leaned forward.

"Can you list them off?"

"Certainly. Number one is the leader himself Xemnas, in order after that is Xigbar the Freeshooter, Xaldin the Whirlwind Lancer, Vexen the Chilly Academic-"

"Is there a reason their names all have an "x" and their titles are the fucking cheesiest thing I've heard since the Power Rangers?" Seifer interrupted and Rude chose not to reply as Axel kicked his foot snickering.

"Five is Lexaeus the Silent Hero and Zexion the Cloaked Schemer is six." When Rude stopped, Axel frowned.

"The rest?"

"The six mentioned are the set members and the most powerful, however recently there has been a shift in the lineup and new faces are showing up. We believe this is because they were once all ranked in accordance to the order in which they were injected with the serum. According to our spies, recent changes have now been made to coordinate with power. Larxene is well known as she is the only female and according to a report submitted this afternoon by DiZ's second in command Riku, number nine is a water wielder by the name of Demyx."

"How about any red-caped gun wielders?" Reno asked calmly and Rude shook his head.

"Xigbar is the gunner, if someone else wanted to enter that position he would have taken Xigbar's place as the Organization tries to bolster their strength by having one type of every fighter in their elite list. A gunner would have had to have beaten Xigbar and killed him to become a ranked member." He explained and turned critical eyes on Reno curiously. "Why?"

"Oh, right you were knocked out when he came. Larxene was saved by someone like that and... he was fast. He saved her and got out before either Tifa or Zax could react, it was kind of amazing." He murmured and Rude blinked.

"... I'll inquire about him." He said after a moment and Reno grinned.

"Nice to know you trust my word."

"Of course." Meanwhile Seifer was deep in thought, something was nagging at him. Something about what he'd just been told and a feeling he could make an important connection. Of course thinking had never been his forte, he was a survival instinct user, thinking was always second to action and now that he'd had so much new information thrown at him it was hard to keep up. But he knew this was important, knew it was vital.

"... Seifer?" Axel asked glancing at his friend who looked like he was about to have a meltdown. Leaning in he blinked. "Are you okay?"

Seifer growled and whipped his face at Axel about to speak and complain he knew something important but couldn't figure it out when... as he turned his face, Axel's lips brushed his nose. Axel made a sound of disgust as he pulled back and rubbed at his lips with an expression of distaste while Seifer... Seifer froze. A kiss on the nose...

"... Seifer?" Reno tried haphazardly as the teen looked like the inspiration fairy had just whacked him over the head with a large mallet, then had flown of leaving him for dead.

"... Demyx. Demyx Gou." Seifer whispered and Rude leaned in, curiously.

"What was that?"

"Axel, those two guys! Those two suckers we met earlier today!!" He cried and Axel stared at him confused.

"What?" He demanded and Seifer leapt to his feet and began pacing.

"In the park remember shithead? When we were skipping, you were checking out that cute blonde and I started hitting on his friend." He turned to Axel who suddenly remembered and horror dawned in his eyes.

"They said they just moved to town..." He whispered and Seifer nodded.

"... hello? Lost again over here." Reno commented looking like he wanted to tear some of his hair out.

"We met two guys in the park. One was Demyx Gou and the other was Roxas Tsupsam."

"Tsupsam?" Rude repeated blinking and Axel nodded.

"Honest to God that's what they called him."

"Gou and Tsupsam... that sounds vaguely familiar."

"And then your bloody ex showed up and... and said "he wants to see you" or something right? What if the "he" in that sentence refers to Xemnas?" Seifer asked excitedly, he was on a roll now and Axel suppressed a chuckle. If the blonde had an obsession, it was murder mystery novels (and secretly Scooby-Doo but Axel wasn't supposed to talk about that.) He loved picking out who had done it before he was halfway through the book and always smiled triumphantly in the end when he was right. If he was wrong he re-read the novel religiously to find out what clues he had missed.

... that or threw the book out the window with a curse. Either or.

"Saix?" Reno demanded. "Saix showed his face around here again? Oh I will kick his- Seifer?" Reno stopped when the blonde looked intensely at him.

"How do you spell that name?"

"... what?"

"Saix! How do you spell it?"

"Er... S-A-I-X?"

"... shit. Demyx, Roxas and Saix all have "x"s in them." Rude however had suddenly struck gold and he looked at them wide eyed.

"... what is Saix's last name?" He directed at Axel who blinked.

"His last name? Uh... Saix... Saix Chok. I remember laughing at him forever about it because it sounded like cock." He remarked and Rude groaned.

"... what?" Reno demanded and Rude looked up at them tiredly.

"Demyx Gou, Roxas Tsupsam and Saix Chok, it's not a coincidence."

"... alrighty, wanna explain why their last names are so damn important?" Seifer growled and Rude nodded.

"It's Chinese, Mandarin if you want to be specific. Pronounced in Chinese, it's near impossible to write the sound in English characters but..." here he pulled out a pen and a pad of paper and began to write, "if we attempted, the numbers of one to thirteen are: yut, yi, sam, say, mm, lok, chok, bok, gou, tsup, tsup-yut, tsup-yi and tsup-sam." He wrote all these out and turned it so that the others could see.

Axel stared, confused, Reno had a vague guess and Seifer slid to the floor staring.

"Well I'll be damned." He whispered and Rude nodded.

"Demyx Gou, Gou for nine. Roxas Tsupsam, Tsupsam for thirteen and Saix Chok... Chok for seven." He explained. "You ran into three of the Organization members on top of the four that attacked you, and if Riku's report is to be believed, the only reason it wasn't five was because he distracted Demyx on a rooftop when Vexen left to attack you."

"That's where the water came from." Axel guessed and Seifer had to nod. Silence poured in and suffocated them all as they realized they had just uncovered over half of the Organization already.

"... Saix said he was attending Oblivion Institution." Axel whispered after a moment. "He starts tomorrow."

"So do Demyx and Roxas." Seifer added.

"I'll have to inform DiZ about this." Rude murmured softly and Reno nodded faintly. Danger was suddenly much closer then it had been half an hour ago.

"Wait!" Reno said abruptly after a moment and looked at Rude faintly. "If... if we can fight back, counter their powers with the ones we're supposed to have-!"

"No." Rude broke in calmly. "Your powers have not been tested, they believe you have the perfected serum and we're beginning to think that as well, but it doesn't change the fact you could go insane. Use of your powers increases that chance and I won't take that risk. You have people to protect you Reno, so let us-"

"And how long do we have to be protected?" Axel asked voicing his brother's thoughts but beating him to the punch. "Until you beat these guys? How long has this war been going on? Give me an honest answer Rude because Yuffie said over twenty years. I don't feel like walking around having to watch my back in all that time." He hissed and Rude stood there, not quite sure how to bring across his point convincingly with all three of them on the same side against him. In truth he should probably let them fight if they proved to have adequate control and could do so without going insane. But... he looked at Reno and didn't want to take any risks.

None at all.

"... I've been playing with fire since I was 5." Axel informed him after a moment. "Lighters, candles, fireplaces, any ember I could get my hands on I've been manipulating and the only side effect so far has been the lack of urge to screw every walking thing like a normal teen, and I see dead turtles." This was said with a dark glare at the corner of the room where all Rude and Reno could see were dustmites. Reno stared at his brother wide eyed. He'd known Axel was a pyro, but not that he'd had pyrokinesis. When everyone looked at Reno, he shuddered for a moment, then broke down.

"Lightning." He whispered and everyone was surprised to see him struggle not to cry.

Not two weeks before his parents' death, he had been goofing around in the park waiting for Axel to finish his make-up essay that he was typing up in the computer lab and in his boredom he had discovered a power box, wanting to get back at Axel who had woken him up with a bucket to the head that morning, he had placed his hand on the box with a smirk. Lightning had crossed from his hand to the outer surface and flying through it scorching the wires inside.

He had had such a hard time holding in his laughter as Axel screamed about three lost pages of his essay to the power outage, having forgotten to save frequently as Reno had known he would.

What helped keep his amusement in, was that as soon as the power box was fried, he recalled glancing up to check if anyone had seen and discovered a blonde haired individual fleeing the scene. Reno hadn't had the chance to catch up to him, seeing as by the time he had made it to the corner, the youth was long gone.

He didn't even know if they were male or female. As he told this to the others, Axel's initial rage at his brother for having caused that power outage faded.

"Hey, c'mon... we don't know if that kid was the reason this all happened." He tried to comfort his brother but neither Seifer nor Rude spoke. Axel had bad habits of playing with balls of fire in his hand when he thought no one was looking and less than two weeks before their parents' murder, someone had seen Reno fire off lightning.

They were the right age, they were brothers and both had exhibited a power based serum injection as opposed to a power and weapon base. A perfect match to the two children who had had the perfected serum injected in them and added to that they were unregistered power users. What was the Organization supposed to think? Rude knew what DiZ would've thought.

The exact same damn thing.

"... we'll begin training tomorrow." He informed them softly and left the room as Seifer followed. Now was not the time for outsiders, it was a time for those two to come to terms with it. For Axel to forgive his brother even though he knew it wasn't really his fault and for Reno to forgive himself because he thought it was.

Life was becoming difficult and it didn't help when Seifer left the room, was about to close the door and screamed like a banshee as Moby zoomed out and scuttled up his leg with a speed fit for a cheetah. Flailing like a mad man and whacking Rude in the face didn't help much either.

But it was damned funny for Sora who was buying a pop from the vending machine down the hall.

_End Chapter 4._

**Memo to me: Tell mommy salt added to Peach flavored oatmeal is NOT tasty… Also, if the format of this story seems to change halfway through, it's because I experienced terrible writer's block when writing this initially.**

**It might partially also be because this is the explanation chapter where everything is brought into light. Or most of it. So sorry if the "flow" isn't smooth. ... that's a bad word, I'd be shot by my English instructor right about now. XD Also, you will bow to and worhip "Prince of Tennis" and "Artemis Fowl." These are the things that made me sit my ass down and plow through this chapter even if I still think it sucks.**


	5. Diary Entries 01

**Bonus Chapter  
**From the online diaries of the cast of Spiral.

* * *

_Dearest diary, _

_I find myself in a spot of activity lately, so much hustle and bustle to be had by those tall pink things. However I do not complain of or beget my fate! Oh there is so much energy going around why I could just suck it up into my shell and keep it there for safekeeping! I've made many a new friend, why just the other day I met the most pleasant of lads and his personality is so chipper I've invited him to afternoon tea._

_I did note he has a very serious caretaker, I must remember to inform Sora that his companion, Riku's demure attitude could stand to improvement. He must be ghastly company indeed, no matter what Sora may say! I also managed to make the acquaintance of another fellow by the name of Seifer Almasy, truly he is of the entertaining sort. Doesn't seem to like it when I cling to his leg so I have taking to sitting on his shoulder but dear me, he doesn't enjoy that either!_

_Honestly, there is only so much a turtle can do to accomadate a sulky host. Perhaps he would enjoy a present? I do have a lovely box of crickets, excellently preserved that I could present to him, I believe I shall do that._

_Oh only think how happy Mr. Kusobata will be when Mr. Almasy and I have become good friends, I cannot wait to see the looks on their faces! _

_Also, I have written to some relatives of mine, I am sure that they would enjoy this company as much as I would. Although the ghost postal service appears to be out of commision for the time being, something about a carrier or two being exorcised for hanging around the rafters in a church. Silly things._

_Yrs Trly,  
Mobyous Dik.  
The Fall of 2008._

* * *

April 21, 2008. 

What the fuck? I'm failing Social? How the fuck do I fail Social? That whore's on crack and she hates me, I know it! Ah whatever she can go to hell. So what if I've skipped one... two... twenty-four classes? ... that's lame.

Started reading a new series by Iris Johansen, fucking sweet. Murders, gruesome death and gory detail make it the perfect thriller novel, and even better, plenty of sex. She's my new hero and I've already collected all of her books, I'm still taken by "The Killing Game," one of her earlier books. Being able to talk to ghosts must be a pretty sweet deal.

Well then again I might change my opinion on that if that stupid turtle who's now living in MY bathroom doesn't get the fuck out, christ.

And I swear if that girl looks weirdly at me again for purchasing smut novels, I'm going to take that pretty name tag and stab her eyes out. Also ran across a book called "Fairy Tales: Traditional Stories retold for Gay Men." It is utter bullshit. I am going to find the author and kick his ass for writing this crap, its got nothing on gays at all. Apparently the Beast in "Beauty in the Beast" now lives in an apartment building suite with a magical greenhouse and is a dominatrix. HAHAHA yeah-no.

Speaking of book, my life's become a cheap imitation of X-Men Evolution coupled with Power Rangers. I'm waiting to see some stupid catch phrases from anyone, but considering this is an online journal open to public, I'm not gonna talk about that.

My love life still stinks, L's not really responding and I'm thinking I need to push his ass onto a bed and show him why I'm meant to dominate it (which I so totally am.) Also figured out why he's always looking like he was pushed into a thrasher and someone turned it on high. Maybe I should brush up on my doctor skills so I can have an excuse to touch him. I am totally licking my lips here. Hahaha... Hmm... role-play, I always thought the doctor and patient schtick was outdated but it suddenly has a lot of merit.

Speaking of which, Y said she'd give me his number if I forgave her for leaving me to die. Done and done, that girl is after my own heart, I swear. Hey look, Scooby-Doo's on.

Hyperion out!

* * *

Diary Entry 29. 

Two is such... such... A JERK! He can go to hell for all I care!! Well... no... I don't want him to go to hell... DAAH, WHY IS HE SO SEXY!? Nngh... I don't wanna tell him I think he's cute because I know there's no way in hell he's gay, and heck even if he was there are so many better people than me so he wouldn't even have to choose me... this sucks.

Some guy came onto me today, friend of you-know-who, he was kind of cute I guess but I couldn't like him at all, shit why do I have to be so hung up on one guy!? S'not fair! I'm a healthy teenaged boy! I need sex! DX Roxas- I mean Thirteen (m'not supposed to say the real names, Xemmy- I mean One might kick my butt!) is giving me weird looks as I write this, poor kid wouldn't understand. _I swear he's asexual! _

Twelve came back really badly injured today, Four is still looking after her as I write this. Four, by the way, is a fucking loser. He totally ditched me to try and grab all the glory and look what happened! We failed the mission and I got yelled at! Well... anyway I'm really worried about Larxy- I mean Twelve. She was really beat up, but I guess she's okay, she patted me on the head as she passed by to the infirmary and said it'd be fine. I was so worried I didn't even complain that she'd messed up my hair.

Oh, we have a new guy, I'm gonna call him V! He's so dark and gloomy, but he's a really nice guy! I took him out shopping earlier and he didn't complain at all or even raise an eyebrow when I bought my manga. He's kinda hot too... maybe this is the end of the dreaded Two-Complex!? -does a little cheer-

I offered to let him read my Loveless manga but he opted out, maybe he doesn't like yaoi?

Ack! Thirteen's coming this way, need to close the window before he sees the asexual comment!

Demykins awaaaay!

* * *

Log 01. 

... why did they give me a diary to keep?

V. Valentine.

* * *

Subject: What a day... 

After a four hour debriefing to "The One" I finally managed to get back to my dorm room and guess what? My moronic roommate is nowhere to be found. (And to any of you fuckers who leave comments and say I'm obsessed with my roommate, go fuck yourselves.) I spent half an hour trying to find the guy and found out he'd been talking with the new guys who just moved in.

Now he won't stop yakking about this guy name Moby, but I'm pretty damned sure those aren't the names of our neighbors, so what the hell? Goddamn bodyguarding sucks.

... though to be honest it hasn't been so bad in the last couple of months. It's weird but... he kind of grows on you.

"The Artist" came into town today by train and she and "The Princess" proceeded to beat my ass after reporting to "The One" for not being there to pick her up as well. Though to be fair it was mostly "The Princess" who beat me, no one should be able to pound your head for that long without some kind of repercussion. A sprain or a spider down the back of her dress would've been perfect.

Ugh, okay I admit I'm being sulky. My chest is one big hurt after being hit by a column of pressurized water with the force of a fire hose point blank. Goddamn water using monkey. That and I managed to lose both targets, all this combined does not make a happy Shadow.

Even better, tomorrow my bodyguarding duty triples. HAHA, LOVE YOU FEARLESS LEADER.

Not.

I'm going to sleep.

Signing off,

"The Shadow."

* * *

Entry Date???  
Entry Title???  
Tags??? 

DiZ has commisioned me and my brother for a job. Wonder what he has in store for us this time. Pay is huge, must mean it's a dangerous job, maybe the war is finally picking up.

About time.

Ugh, the stupid dreck needs to shut up, he and his girlfriend are always so goddamn lovey dovey. Signing off, going to unplug the damn phone chord and tell the dreck to go to sleep.

... he'll probably start whining and maybe even cry, maybe I won't.

A. the Bloody.

* * *

**Author's notes: **

1. The "L" and "Y" in Seifer's journal refer to Leon and Yuffie respectively. Some people have issues with their real names being put online and Seifer has taken this into consideration.

2. Hyperion is the name of Seifer's gunblade in Final Fantasy 8, I thought it fitting he would take that as his username or online alias.

3. The "V" in Demyx's journal refers to Vincent.

4. V. Valentine is also in reference to Vincent.

5. "The One" is DiZ. "The Artist" is Namine. "The Princess" is Kairi. "The Shadow" is Riku. More aliases in hopes of protecting real names.

6. "A. the Bloody." is a code name for someone appearing in future chapters. His character comes from a Namco game and his title is actually -insert name- the Bloody. (Yes, A is the first letter of his name.) This is the only clue, as well as another one found in his journal post that you will get to who he is. If you can find out who he is, **private message** me the answer and I will either A) Insert a character you have yet to see in the story at your request into the plot, B) Take a suggestion for a pairing that has not yet been mentioned in the pairing section of every chapter (note I may not use the suggestion if it doesn't coincide with the plot), or C) Answer one question about the plot or story as a whole (but most of these answers will be vague.)

A final hint: Yuri Lowenthal.

Good luck. 8D


	6. Dawn of the Day

**Author's Notes: **AUUUGH NO UPDATE FOR A LONG TIME. I SORRRRY.

**Summary: **… yeah, we all know this.

**Warnings: **See previous.

**Pairings: **MOBYSEIFER. YA. TOTALLY. No kidding. … seriously.

**Disclaimer: **Duuuuurr….

Riu: … what, you think I'm actually expecting you to say it? Fuck you, I've given up.

Me: 8D

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 5**

"Get up." The command came with all the authority of Napoleon leading his troops to battle at the break of dawn before the final clash. But for all the effect it had, he might as well have been a dust bunny trying to break down the doors to an otaku's priceless figurine cabinet. As the two redheads continued to slumber on, quite blissfully, Rude fixed his glasses, shot a glance at Yazoo who was also up at this ungodly hour and sighed. There was no helping it he supposed. Giving a single nod, he stepped out of the room and Yazoo smiled as he cracked his knuckles and got to work.

* * *

The door to homeroom slammed open at precisely 8:45am. Like clockwork, Seifer Almasy strode into the room with all the ego of God (or Satan, whichever you prefer) and went right past the teacher who rolled her eyes, clearly used to his grandstanding. At least… that's what should have happened. In reality, 8:45 came… and went. The teacher even paused, as if waiting for the door to hit the back wall with a bang as it always did at this time. When it didn't, she blinked and stood there for a moment, a touch flabbergasted. Fuu and Rai, two of Seifer's cronies in his self proclaimed Disciplinary Committee shared a blink. It was such an off day. First Axel showed up _early_ for class, something unheard of, and now Seifer was late-er than usual for it. Unthinkable.

And speaking of their redheaded pyro, said spiky headed individual had the side of his head pressed against his desk, a look of absolute suffering on his visage. The reason for his suffering went a little like this:

_6:05am._

_Rude and Yazoo enter Axel and Reno's room._

_6:10am._

_Upon failing to rouse the two redheads, Yazoo goes right into phase two._

_6:11am._

_Axel and Reno get thrown out the open window of their room onto Loz who catches them. They are then summarily stuffed into a clichéd black van as Rude hops into the driver's seat._

_6:15am._

_They are taken to an empty field on the outskirts of town. A normal twenty minute drive even if you speed. Thirty if you don't. We'll let you figure out how they got there in four minutes. Road rage does not even _begin_._

_6:30am._

_Axel and Reno have espresso shoved down their complaining gullets, choking them long enough that Loz and Yazoo can promptly strip them and toss them into standard gear for a practice skirmish. _

_6:45am._

_Reno and Axel are quickly informed of the situation: which is live combat no holds barred._

_6:50am._

_They are taken to the field's center where barriers have been set up to protect the surrounding area and avoid detection. They are then sealed in the aoe (area of effect) and told to fight for their lives. Before them stands Kadaj who smirks and summons Souba._

_6:51am._

_It all goes to hell._

Needless to say Axel was sporting a few bandages. They'd brought a healer with them, thoughtfully enough. Her name had been Kairi and she'd tsked at an unremorseful Kadaj as she healed his and Reno's wounds. Going so far as to heal the ones on his arms and chest even though Yazoo had ordered her not to since lingering pain would be good incentive to do better next time. She'd then patted him on the hand and said it would only get worse.

Yeah, great incentive. Even more depressing? Neither he nor Reno had been able to summon their weapons, or do more than char the edge of Kadaj's double bladed katana before it came whooshing at their heads. Reno had however given him a sharp zap on the rump before being cracked over the head with the butt of Kadaj's hilt though. Plenty of grudges were going to be held for a loooong time. As the teacher recovered and continued the lecture while glancing at the door every few moments, Axel raised his head, checked the clock and groaned. Behind him, Fuu and Rai in adjacent desks shared a glance and a single nod.

* * *

As a loud yawn signaled through the room, the redhead stretched wide, then scratched the back of his neck tiredly.

"You're so fucking annoying." The person sitting in the chair next to him snarled, arms crossed and back straight as he spared his twin a glare.

"Shut up." Luke responded blearily and yawned again, covering his mouth this time at least. Luke fon Fabre, seventeen years old with short red hair cropped to the nape of his neck and bright green eyes peered back at his "older brother" with a smile that was blindingly cheerful. "You're just grumpy because you didn't get enough sleep last night either but you won't yawn."

"I got plenty of sleep." Asch "the Bloody" responded darkly with hostile evident in his voice as he looked away, checking the clock and frowning further when he realized they'd been waiting for all of… two minutes. Such a pain.

"Uh huh, you were blogging and IMing Natalia. Admit it." Luke continued to prod him with a smile. Asch's hair was a darker shade of red, but his eyes were just as vibrantly green in their hues, even if his eyes were always narrowed with impatience. His hair went all the way down to his waist in a straight curtain of crimson locks, his bangs pushed all the way back from his forehead, as opposed to Luke's whose were parted in the middle and brushed back from his face.

"Shut up dreck!"

"Don't tell me to shut up!"

"I'll damn well tell you to do whatever I goddamn well please!"

"I'm telling Natalia!"

"DON'T YOU DA-"

"I see your brotherly bond is as strong as ever." DiZ interrupted as he opened the door and strode into the room, hiding a smirk as Asch and Luke quickly dropped back into their chairs, having been seconds away from a full out brawl.

"It was his fault." They both muttered quietly under their breaths at the same time. Asch, realizing this, quickly sat up and coughed.

"What do you want old man?" He demanded in brisk tones and DiZ had a hard timing concealing his amusement as he opened a folder on his desk and produced two pictures and handed them over. Taking a photo respectively, Luke and Asch blinked.

"Who're these guys?"

"Reno and Axel Kusobata. Brothers, and as you can see, red haired."

"Woow, don't strain a muscle trying to figure that out. What do they mean to us?" Asch demanded tossing the picture back onto the desk and leaning back, folding his arms once more as his cold eyes swept over the contents in the folder quickly. There seemed to be a multitude of records in there, everything from birth certificates to school awards.

"For the next few days we'll be taking these boys under our wing, training them to perfect the serum they carry." Here, Luke sat up a little and blinked as he replaced the picture in a neater manner.

"Serum?" He repeated frowning.

"Subject R-47." Asch supplied for him with an audible tone of distaste as he slumped even further in his chair. Such discussions pissed him off in ways better left unsaid. Luke's eyes widened here as he registered the title. Then…

"Geostigma." He breathed softly and frowned.

"Yes. The serum which creates the M-gene, that which gives all of my soldiers, and you, your powers." DiZ confirmed and folded his fingers on top of the file. Calmly, he delivered the next blow. "These two are the carriers."

"Yeah, we got that already old man. They carry the serum." Asch snapped, glowering. DiZ however remained silent and waited for Asch to decipher what he said. Unsurprisingly, it was Luke who figured it out first.

"'_The_ carriers'…?" He repeated, frowning. "You don't mean…"

"Perfect Geostigma?!" Asch demanded, bolting to his feet, staring in disbelief. DiZ nodded once and sat back in his swivel chair, a weight pushing down on his shoulders.

"And the Organization already knows."

"Then why the hell are you sitting around here doing nothing!? If those fuckers get a hold of the serum we're all-!"

"I am doing something. More specifically, I am asking _you_ to do something." DiZ interrupted, his calm tone never wavering as he spoke in his clipped tones to the other two. Asch stared then finally dropped back into his chair, voice terse as he spoke.

"What do you need?" Lips curving in a half sad smile, Diz leaned forward. Moving a second folder out from beneath the first that the redheads hadn't seen initially, he pushed it forward.

"I need you to take their lives."

* * *

**Ending notes: **Short chapter this time. Why? I HAVE A PAPER TO WRITE. HURR. Happy Birthday you-know-who. It's an hour late, but should be good your time. :D Another update will become shortly as I'm aware I left a crap load of loose ends.


	7. Invasion Part 1

**Author's notes:** ... hi. –ducks multitude of objects-

**Summary: **Gods please don't kill me.

**Warnings:** Swears, violence, gore, lime (possible, it's in debate), graphic scenes, yaoi (boyxboy love), CRACK, stupid humor, emo!angst

**Pairings:** RenoxRude(**MAIN**), AxelxRoxas(**MAIN**), SoraxRiku, Axelx?, Demyxx?, SeiferxLeon, as well as multiple random and short CRACK pairings. _Subject to change._

**Disclaimer: **REMEMBER IF YOU KILL ME I CAN'T FINISH THE STORY.

Jean: You probably won't at this rate.

Me: What... happened to Riu?

Jean: He seems to have had another of his mental breakdowns. You're pretty good for those.

Me: Oops.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"Ah Chad Lincoln, just another reason to hate the British." There was no mistaking that cocky drawl, not if you were smart enough. Clock striking 9:05 on the dot, Seifer was currently sipping a mocha something or other from an overdesigned paper cup and sitting on a rather comfortable desk chair that one of the staff of this particular clothing outlet had procured for him while reading the latest Iris Johansen novel. Who said being a manipulative jackass didn't have its perks?

"You actually read that drivel?" Kadaj's voice demanded, tone condescending as he emerged from the changing rooms and sneer at the blonde.

"Diss Johansen again and you'll be sucking your next meal through an IV. Change the pants." Seifer ordered as he flipped a page and didn't look up from the book. Kadaj stiffened, then, almost inaudibly, growled.

"You haven't even seen-"

"Don't have to leather butt, change 'em. Try that dark number from rack three." Another page was turned. With a growl savage enough to mock a lion's roar into kitten play, Kadaj stormed back to the changing room while seizing the said item from a too helpful staff member who held up Seifer's recommendation. To be honest, it was sort of entertaining for them. Four hot guys all in one store trying on various combinations of clothes, it was like being at a model exhibition without all the hassle.

Seifer of course had deemed himself perfect since the day he could actively put thought into his speech and had taken it upon himself to share his glorious gift with the unfortunate others of his race. That is, when he'd seen the leather trio get off their motorcycles (motorcycles, for _crying out loud_) and head towards his school, he'd intervened on a code red of the disciplinary committee rule book and yanked them away to the nearest acceptable clothes store.

"This really isn't necessary, is it?" Came a much softer and composed voice. Finally glancing up, Seifer raised an eyebrow at Yazoo who sported a navy blue turtleneck and a pair of creamy white pants that were perhaps more fitted to his slender legs than healthy. A pair of neat black dress shoes topped off the ensemble a little too well actually. Still, a thumbs up from Seifer (and eager backing from the store clerks) was enough for Yazoo as he sat down on yet another procured chair and swung one leg over the other before folding his arms.

"I'm not gonna have three Hard Gay wannabes walking around my hallways." Seifer replied calmly, ignoring a bout of shuffling, cursing and a thud as Loz's changing room door shuddered slightly. "Take your shoes _off_ before you pull off your pants you idiot!" He called without a break in pace. Another page was flipped.

"I _knew_ that!" Loz's voice came back, a bit tearfully as Yazoo raised an eyebrow at Seifer. After a few moments of Yazoo's scrutinization, Seifer sighed.

"Y'see something you like?"

"... no, I was just thinking you're quite formidable. For a normal person anyway." Seifer snorted at that.

"Me, normal. Oh today is a grand day indeed, excuse me if I'm not flattered. Loop _under_, than _over_ than in between the damn V and thread it through the loop!" Seifer called as Kadaj cursed from inside his changing room. "Fucking idiot can't tie a tie."

"Well he's never really had to before." Yazoo remarked absently while glancing back at the change rooms, quickly getting used to Seifer's omnipotent ways in the manner of clothes. It was actually quite amusing when you managed to get over it.

"Never been anywhere formal?"

"Battle zones don't really care much for four step ties." At that Seifer's eyes stopped on the word he was on, a frown on his lips. Still not looking up from his page, his voice dropped a notch in volume before he spoke again.

"What are you?"

"A soldier. That, is all you need to know." Yazoo responded without skipping a beat.

"Even soldiers have lives."

"Normal soldiers. We're not normal. Those with the M-gene over a certain level cannot be exposed to the public, imagine if our DNA chose at that moment to go haywire."

"Rude-"

"Is not fully exposed. You don't think this white hair is _natural_ do you?" Here Yazoo finally looked back at Seifer with an icy smile. His eyes, that which had been politely guarded before were now slitted, dangerous and thirsty for... something. Seifer glanced at him hackles raised, he didn't deal too well with threats, made him want to bite back just for the sheer hell of it, and for the sake of his pride.

"How's this?" Loz's voice interrupted their conversation and Seifer glanced up at the man. Dress pants, white shirt, a beige blazer. Neat, casual, comfortable.

"Very college-boy. You're fine." Seifer replied as Yazoo stood and took the opportunity to veer the topic away from dangerous zones. One shared glance between the two however and both knew this conversation wasn't over, simply delayed. Yazoo wasn't the type to run, and Seifer wasn't the type to give up easily.

"Blondie, I can't get this stupid... rrgh, goddamn neck choker is trying to kill me!" Kadaj's grumble sounded out over the bang of his changing room door as it smacked into the wall and he stumbled out, fumbling with the strip of black cloth around his neck. "Why the hell do I have to wear this stupid thing anyway?"

"'cause I'm trying to kill you shithead, get over here." Seifer growled setting down his novel and standing as well. Brushing past Yazoo who was fixing Loz's collar in a very businesslike manner, he strode over to Kadaj and yanked the shorter boy towards him by seizing his collar. This effectively choked and cut off whatever the youth had been about to say as Seifer took in the tie and... stared.

Even Yazoo was a bit miffed as he glanced at it.

"How the hell...? It looks like you put one end on a mixer and hit on." Seifer got out rather perplexed as he lifted the tie... or... knotted ball of cloth up lightly and stared. Kadaj's blush went a long way to showing the embarrassment he felt in this situation.

"I. Think that may be the end there." Yazoo said helpfully, pointing to a tip barely poking out. Loz, good willed fool that he was, seized it and _yanked_.

Four minutes later with much colourful cursing and a blue faced Kadaj, Seifer finally managed to undo the knot while Yazoo held scissors on standby.

"SHUT UP AND HOLD STILL MORON." Seifer yelled as he straddled Kadaj's chest and pulled away the final knot, sweat dotting his brow as Kadaj's chest heaved for air. As soon as it was off Seifer slid off and watched the youth gasp for air, sucking it in greedily while cursing Loz's existence at the same time.

Said older brother was crying in great heaving wails.

_Welcome to my world._ Was what Yazoo's eye roll told him.

* * *

Holding two beakers delicately by their bases in each hand, Reno made his way back to the table where his lab partner was working diligently on their report, writing out their hypothesis and the current testing method before they got under way. As the redhead carefully set the glass containers onto the table and rolled back the sleeves of his black jacket, he was about to push them over his elbows when he paused, remembering a deep bruise he had on the underside of his forearm.

"Your lab coat will hide it." Rude answered softly in low tones meant only for his partner. "Although you should be wearing it already." He added as he finally sat back and put the pencil down, picking up an identical white coat to the one he was wearing from the back of his chair and offered it to his partner. Reno smiled sheepishly and finished rolling up his sleeves before putting on the coat and securing the dangling cuffs. Following that, he snapped on his safety goggles and made a show of tightening the straps (at which Rude chuckled at,) before moving towards his own chair.

"S'not my fault that kid had at me. Volatile piece of shit… where do you find these guys?" Reno muttered as he took his seat on the stool and checked over Rude's work, not really expecting to find any mistakes, but making sure just in case.

"Did she heal all your injuries?" Rude asked instead, ignoring Reno's question as he rubbed the elastic bands that went around his head, feeling uncomfortable without his sunglasses, and took back the paper while Reno picked up the beakers, pausing a moment to recall the proper course of action before he slowly began to pour the dangerous contents equally into a set of twelve test tubes.

"Yeah, that girl's pretty amazing. I can barely feel anything of the cuts or anything anymore."

"What about the wounds from yesterday?" Rude asked quietly, causing Reno's hand to twitch, accidentally slopping the contents of a chemical over the sides. Hastily seizing some paper towel to wipe it up, he crunched up the ball and checked his gloves, making sure nothing was leaking through, before glaring at Rude.

"What about 'em yo?"

"Reno…" Rude began, voice quiet and stern as the redhead turned his gaze back on their project. He then sighed, there was no point pushing it, Reno would remain quiet and obstinate, pretending any injuries he had taken were insubstantial. Rude however, knew better. Though Larxene was only number twelve out of thirteen, she was still one of the elite over an organization of hundreds. Against Reno who hadn't even properly gained control of his abilities yet, it was like a pitting a poodle against a monster tow truck.

"It's nothin'." Reno grumbled and Rude blinked this time. There was a little more than a defensive tone in the redhead's voice, and Rude had trouble discerning it. Then, he cautiously asked:

"… are you angry?" Reno slopped again, this time catching the attention of the teacher who cautioned him on being so clumsy. Red faced, he nodded and turned his attention back to the spill, soaking it up with the already used wad of paper towel. "You are." Rude confirmed, mystified as Reno angrily mopped it up in vain. A soaked ball of paper towel wasn't much in the way of cleaning.

"Am not." Reno hissed as he finally gave up and stood to get more as a way of excusing himself and running from the conversation. As he stood, Rude did as well and followed the redhead, not very concerned that they were in class as they moved to the storage area which was in a separate room.

"You're mad at me." Rude commented, voicing his thoughts aloud and watching Reno's reactions to gauge how close he was to the truth. Judging from how Reno visibly twitched, Rude was, unfortunately, correct on that. Not that he was confirming it, he was obviously trying to play the denial game. "Why?"

"I'm not mad yo." Reno denied heading up to the dispenser and cursing when it read empty. Instead he turned to the cabinets and began rummaging around, trying to find another roll.

"Is it because of this morning?"

"No."

"Do you think I became your friend because of my past? I swear I had no idea you were a carrier."

"That's not it."

"So you are mad at me." Rude confirmed and Reno slammed the cupboard shut, foregoing the paper towel. Setting his hands on the counter, the redhead heaved a deep breath, struggling to maintain his composure as Rude continued to barrage him with questions, breaking down the mask of calm he'd constructed to hide his real feelings. Little did he know, Rude saw this. Had seen the lockdown since the death of Reno's parents, and figured it probably had something to do with Axel. Just the guilt Reno had from freezing, from not being the calm and collected one of the two, though he was older.

Reno needed some serious comforting right now. That's what happened when you learned your life was a farce.

"… you didn't tell me." The softly spoken words caught him by surprise. For a moment Rude was quiet, uncertain as to what Reno was referring to, before the redhead cleared it up himself. "Half a decade, five years Rude. You let me dump all my shit on you, and not once, not once did you mention that "oh hey, I'm a government experiment, I'm fighting for my life every single day, I gotta keep a low profile so that's why I'm always holding back. Also, I might go batshit insane any minute and have to be put down like a dog since no cell will hold me, but whatever it's minor. How are things for you?"" Reno spat, irritation not even covering what was in his voice. Rude stared openly now, not quite sure how to respond, fortunately, he didn't have to since Reno kept on going.

"I mean, what the _fuck_ yo? Aren't I your friend? When the hell did you think it was okay to keep all that shit to yourself?" Reno demanded. "Yeah I can understand the first three or four years. Fuck I'll even give you the first year of college. How do you know I won't go running off to sell your story to the newspapers to make a few bucks? But by now… and you didn't even _tell _me yourself. I gotta hear it from _Axel_, of all people!" Rage filtered into his aura now, it seemed to emit from his body like a fine coat of mist, but for all that he was keeping his voice low, aware even now of how dangerous it would be to speak too loudly.

"I…" Rude began, carefully, and stopped. What could he say? An awkward silence filled the air as the clock ticked, the only sound filling the room as the half closed door muffled all conversation in the classroom. It was like all the closeness between them, that which had held them together for the last few years, had suddenly been blocked, keeping them from truly understanding one another. Just as Rude was about to make another attempt at talking, Reno's hands withdrew from the counter and he straightened.

"Whatever, I'm overreactin', I know." As he drew back into himself, Rude felt the first stirrings of an alarm ringing in his head. Something, some primeval instinct was telling him that this was a bad thing and that he needed to stop it now before it became irreversible. "Listen, I'm gonna head back out.

If we don't the professor will get suspicious, you come back with the paper towel okay?" He muttered and started moving for the door, sidestepping Rude who was in his way.

As he passed, that alarm shot up from a small voice to a bellowing panic. _If you let him walk out that door it's over!_

Acting purely from instinct, Rude's hand shot out, grasping Reno's wrist and before he could think, before logic could reach his mind and bid him to wait, he pushed Reno against the wall and trapping him there with his own body, pressed a kiss to half open, and startled lips.

* * *

"Mr. Kusobata…" Tiny hand… things reached up and seized a lock of bright red hair and tugged experimentally.

"Wha' t'fuck man, y'don't call a self respectin' man out and snooze away when he arrives. Jus' ain't cool!"

"Oh Shakes, please don't-"

"BANZAI!" Axel's pleasant dream of a certain cute blondie he'd met a while ago feeding him grapes on a tropical island paradise dropped instantly when something hard and sharp struck the side of his face.

"Ow! What the-!?" He yelped jumping to his feet and glaring down at the assaulter before going pale.

"… Axel? Is something the matter?" The teacher inquired politely, pretending he hadn't noticed the redhead sleeping in class on his desk. Something made fairly obvious from the puddle of drool on the wooden top. Axel however, had gone insanely pale as he stared at his desk.

"…DREAMING." Fuu suddenly intervened before booting him sharply in the shins from where she sat, which was right next to Axel's desk. With another pained yelp, the redhead stumbled slightly into the desk.

"I— bathroom." Axel finally blurted out as he seemed to scoop the air on top of his desk up and dashed for the exit, yelling again halfway out the door and flailing his hand as if a crab had nipped him. The class watched him go, rather perplexed.

In the bathroom, Axel threw himself through the swinging door and threw the source of his problems into the sink, feeling no remorse when one landed belly up and circled the round porcelain tub for a good few minutes. The other, Moby, climbed onto the rim and glanced up at Axel while brushing himself off.

"My goodness, that was not necessary at all!" He exclaimed while his companion chose to vocalize his discontent in a much more… colorful manner.

"Goddamn it y'fuckin' motherfucka! I jus' waxed m'damn shell! D'you know how long it takes t'wax this damn thing when you're dead!? Do ya!? I oughta bite your damn kidneys off next time instead o' that little pinky! When I ge' outta here-!"

"That will do Shakes," Moby intervened politely and glanced back up at Axel with an innocent smile. Axel, on the other hand, looked positively harassed.

"What. Are you doing here?" He growled.

"I came to introduce my nephew to you, this here is Shakes Spear. He's come all the way from his resting place. A dreadful city really, I warned my sister not to let him go but, well, you know how females are about their clutches of eggs."

"No. No I don't." Axel replied feeling even more cross by the minute as he folded his arms, wondering if plumbing got blocked when you flushed invisible turtles. Shakes, who had finally managed to free himself, climbed onto the rim looking worse for wear. It was then that Axel got a good look at him.

"You may want to close your jaw before that scrumptious looking fly goes right in, I of course like them but I understand humans like yourself, do not." Moby said helpfully. Axel blinked twice at that remark and shut his gaping mouth. Shakes was, in short, a stereotypical biker gang member in appearance. … as a turtle. A purple Mohawk, painted shell, bling, sunglasses, the whole shebang.

"_How do you even get to look that way!? _For crying out loud you're a **turtle**!" Came the half stunned, half outraged scream.

"Don't sweat the details mothafucka, now! I heard yous havin' a problem, and bein' a friend of my good uncle an' all, I'm obliged to help you out. Gimme the name sucka and me an' my boys'll take care of 'em!"

"That doesn't sound nice." Came another voice. All three, biker turtle and all, froze. As the stall lock came undone, a familiar spiky haired youth came forward to one of the unoccupied sinks and turned it on, rinsing his hands.

"Hey, you got a friend!" Sora called out grinning. Axel stared.

"Dam' right mothafucka, name's Shakes. You gonna make this easy, or hard?"

"You talk funny."

"Soes it's gonna be hard huh? Bring it on!"

"I can't take this, they're all yours kid and good riddance." Axel got out escaping while he could. Rubbing his temples aggravated, he glanced at the ceiling wondering what god he'd pissed off so badly that he'd be cursed with invisible turtles and super powers, when all he wanted was to get a job and get laid by a cute boy.

Life sucked. As he opened the door to his classroom, he caught the last snippet of the teacher's sentence;

"…lcome him to our cla-"

"I KNOW YOU." Before Axel could even register what had happened, something hit him full on around the waist and sent him flying back into the hall, hitting the tiled floor head first. Stars winking in his vision, he begged what he saw to be an illusion.

"This has got to be a dream." He groaned.

"Hey I know I'm sexy, but I already told you you're not my type." Demyx replied chipperly as he sat up and straddled Axel's chest.

Life _really_ sucked.

_End chapter 6._

**Author's notes:** COHERENT PLOT. I HAZ IT. WHOOPEE.


	8. Invasion Part 2

**Author's notes: **This makes up for not updating. Right? RIGHT??

**Summary: **Frogs and biscuits. ... wait.

**Warnings:** Swears, violence, gore, lime (possible, it's in debate), graphic scenes, yaoi (boyxboy love), CRACK, stupid humor, emo!angst

**Pairings:** RenoxRude(**MAIN**), AxelxRoxas(**MAIN**), SoraxRiku, Axelx?, Demyxx?, SeiferxLeon, as well as multiple random and short CRACK pairings. _Subject to change._

**Disclaimer:** Soooo.

Jean: ...

Me: ... you're doing it wrong.

Jean: I am?

Me: Yes, you're supposed to try and make me write a disclaimer.

Jean: Why on Earth would I do that?

Me: ... I want Riu back.

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter 7**

"Okay, I may have deserved that." He began, voice cautious as if afraid of upsetting his companion any further.

"May have? _MAY _HAVE? Damn _right_ you deserved it! The hell were you thinking!?"

"I wasn't… exactly."

"Big shocker!" The sarcastic bite of the comment was not missed and Rude, appropriately, winced. Reno though, for all his loud vocalized protestation of the kiss seemed oddly… relaxed. The kiss in the storage room had ended with a sharp slap, something completely and utterly girlish and so… out of character that it had stunned Rude long enough for Reno to escape into the class. The lab had been finished up with no further incident, or conversation, and now they were walking to their next class which was math. Joy oh joy.

"I'm sorry, I panicked! I just…" Rude trailed off frowning. He wasn't one for words usually, preferring to let Reno do all the talking when they interacted with others, sometimes Reno could even carry the conversation by himself between them, that was just how deep their connection went, but right now…

"You just what?" Reno prompted, slowing his steps to let the crowd mill around them. Turning to look at Rude, the hand that gripped his backpack's strap tightened till his knuckles shone white.

"Just… thought I was losing you."

"Laaaaaame." Rude resisted the urge to sock Seifer in the face as he came down the hallway with a cocky smirk on his lips.

"Beat it yo, I'm not in the mood to deal with your shit so I _will_ knock your ass down, Axel's friend or not." Reno warned in dark tones. In response the blonde's smirk widened and he looped both of them under arm, since he was tall enough to do it, and brought them both in close.

"You're overthinkin' it sweeties, he's hot for you and you want in his pants. Get to it, chop chop." He laughed as Reno shoved him away, catching himself before he knocked someone over.

"Last warning Seifer!" Reno growled catching the stares of the students around them, but fortunately the crowd was beginning to thin out.

"Careful sparks, your uniqueness is showing." Seifer replied, tone still that of a jerk's but his eyes took on a serious note. Blinking in confusion, it wasn't until Rude put a hand over his and winced in pain that Reno glanced down and realized his hands were sparking bolts of tiny lightning. Cursing he turned away and shoved his hands into his pockets before counting to twenty. Ten wasn't counting it right now. With that tiny problem taken care of, Seifer shrugged a little haplessly.

"Your warning's noted, now here's mine. You've got something special and you're throwing it away pretending it's not there. I thought A class was supposed to be smart," he commented lightly, noting their school's unique system. That is, every grade had four tiers, A the smartest, D the dumbest. Seifer himself, along with Axel was in 12-B. "Stop dancing around each other, you've got clocks ticking away in your body, and that time might've just been halved with this wonderful development in our lives." He added motioning to Reno's hands. "Get a move on will you?"

"You've got to lay off those dirty books dumbass, true love doesn't exist." Reno snapped back, irritated but strangely appearing vulnerable.

"Says who?"

"Says reality."

"Reality's word ain't worth shit idiot, or has was yesterday just a dream?" When Reno didn't reply Seifer smirked in triumph, the scent of a fully caught prey in the air for him. "Think about this, you guys are college students in the A tier, you trounce every idiot stupid enough to get in your way in gym and one of you is socialite of the year while the other is a poster boy for tall, dark and studly."

Rude blushed at that and coughed into his hand, grateful that his shades hid whatever emotions could show in his eyes. "Get to your point." He muttered to cover his embarrassment.

"Point, retards, is this: why hasn't anyone ever asked either of you out?"

A long, pregnant silence, broken only by Seifer humming the jeopardy music.

"How the hell would I know!?" Reno finally snapped, not liking the way this conversation was going.

"You wouldn't. You and Rudey there are as blind as a politician is to the rules of congress. By the time anyone thought about dating you guys, you were already attached at the hip and more. Looks like Rude took a step forward today, good for him his balls dropped. Yours on the other hand still seem to be nestled right up to your throat. Elsewise you might have noticed he's been goo-goo eyeing you for at least a year now."

"_**Butt out asshole!**_" Reno finally snapped, hands going to his head. He didn't want to think about this. Not now. His parents were dead, he was man of the house, his best friend who was a brother to him had feelings for him, he was a superhuman, an organization was hunting him. It was a bit of an overload, while Axel might be able to deal by not thinking about it or taking it one at a time, Reno was… a little less lucky in that aspect.

It wasn't until a slam broke through his reverie that he realized something had changed while he'd turned his back on the situation. Looking up, his eyes were wide as he took in Rude who had Seifer shoved up against a wall and his throat in his hand as he quite literally held him a good few inches above the floor.

"Shut up." Rude snarled, literally snarled. Seifer's nails digging into his forearm seemed to have no impact whatsoever as his face rapidly changed from red to purple. Reno hadn't seen him this angry since... well, the day they'd met honestly, in the middle of that gunfight.

"Rude, Rude you're choking him!" The redhead finally got out past numb lips as he started forward.

"I could kill him and nothing would happen. DiZ would protect me, and there would be one less witness to the situation." Rude informed Reno icily, his tone nothing short of a murderer's apathy. Reno froze. What the hell had set _this _off!? This was one side of Rude he didn't know, how did he fix it!?

"Why the hell would you want to kill him?" He finally got out, thinking furiously, Seifer's grip was starting to go slack and it was a wonder his throat hadn't been crushed yet.

"He's sticking his nose into places he shouldn't. It doesn't matter if what he says is true, truth can _hurt_."

_Hurt? Rude's mad because I'm being hurt? You've gotta be kidding me!_ Reno thought blankly. Then something else clicked.

"_Truth_ can hurt? … what he said is true?"

"What?"

"The year thing, it's true?"

"I…" Rude faltered, not sure how to cover this.

"You never _said_ anything!?" Reno demanded, looking stunned.

"I was waiting for the right time!" He began defensively, blushing like mad now. "And when your parents died, and all this I…"

"So it wasn't just today?"

"Well, no. But…"

"… _air_… _need_…"

The two stopped and looked back at Seifer. Rude immediately dropped him. Hitting the floor and crumpling onto all fours, Seifer held a hand to his abused throat and coughed while trying to suck in air. "Jesus fucking Christ you guys… lover spat is cool but not while you've got your fingers wrapped around a guy's throat!" He got out in breathless tones staggering to his feet.

"… sorry."

"Hey, back on topic!" Reno interrupted. "You've been in love with me for a _year_!?"

"Sure guys, don't mind the half dead man over here."

"I-"

"And let me guess, you decided to keep quiet out of respect for my feelings."

"Well-"

"And probably also because you weren't sure of my reaction and wanted to keep our friendship secure."

"It's not like it hurt or anything…"

"Shut the hell up Seifer!"

"…"

"Well Rude?"

"But there-"

"But nothing, a _year_!? You didn't try confessing _once!?_" Suddenly, Rude wasn't appreciative of the fact that Reno could carry on a conversation between them all by himself. "And maybe, _maybe_ I would have realized a little sooner and…"

"And fallen back in love with him?" Seifer got out in a hoarse voice still rubbing his throat. One fist clench from Rude shut him up.

"…"

"You wouldn't have." Rude finally began quietly, certain in his reasoning. Reno whom he thought was talented, attractive and chaotic couldn't possibly think of accepting Rude's request. About to explain this, he opened his mouth but Reno's abrupt laughter cut him off.

"What the fuck yo?" Reno demanded in the midst of his chuckles as he clutched his side and shook his head before finally looking back up at the other man. "I thought you knew me."

"Huh?"

"I… well I would've given it a shot at least. I don't knock it till I've tried it."

"You… would've?"

"I didn't say no after you kissed me did I?"

"Well. No…"

"There, you see?"

"… I… yeah. Yeah I do."

"And all it took was one jackass, his romanticism and a death grip. Hurrah." That was Seifer again making sarcastic "yay" motions with his hands.

"I'm warning you Almasy." Rude growled but the blonde smirked at him.

"Bite me." And with that, Seifer whirled like a dervish and did a backspin kick planting his foot into Rude's back lightly and sending him flying forward. Predictably, he connected with Reno in a crash of a kiss. Blinking, stunned, they barely managed to catch each other on the wall and drew back, slightly poleaxed, before Reno shrugged and yanked Rude down by his collar to try again.

"Seifer Almasy strikes again." Seifer muttered triumphantly and watched, yes watched, for a good 40 seconds before clearing his throat. "You guys are insanely late for class by the way."

"_**SHIT."**_

As soon as they were gone and Seifer was done watching them go, he turned and jammed his hands into his pockets. "Thanks for leaving me to rot there by the way." He remarked seemingly to thin air.

"Whatever." Leon came out from behind a corner and leaned against the wall before folding his arms and glancing at Seifer calmly. "You were fine."

"Says you, that's twice you assholes have left me to die now." Seifer muttered rubbing his throat lightly knowing it would bruise and sighing.

"Your teacher's looking for you. Sent me since class A has a study period right now." Leon commented as he stood and moved to leave, presumably to get back to his class.

"What's the rush? You said you've got a study period and no point in me going to class now." Seifer remarked as he caught up with the brunette grinning.

"Why are you obsessed with love?" Leon asked instead, ignoring his statement but not protesting as they walked side by side.

"Easy, I want everything my piece of shit old man doesn't have. Love's one of 'em." Leon nodded at that, the story of Seifer's parents was pretty infamous in this town, being that his mother gave birth to Seifer and ran, leaving him and his father. His father unfortunately wasn't much in the way of parenthood when he decided to blame the kid for the wife leaving him. So Seifer wanting to spite his old man was a reasonable motivation. "Of course, that's probably the only reason you'd believe." Seifer added mischievously. Leon twitched at that. Fuck, did this man ever stop playing around?

"I like you. That's all there is to it." He commented as they neared their respective classrooms.

"Hm."

"See you at lunch?" Seifer added a bit hopefully, hand on the classroom handle. Leon paused at that. A request, not an order. That was… unusual.

"… whatever." Leon muttered before opening his door and walking into the quiet classroom before shutting the door with a soft click.

Seifer smiled.

* * *

"So, what's your excuse for your tardiness?" The teacher began quietly, arms crossed and pointer stick held threateningly in one hand.

"The locker was stuck-" Rude began.

"-there was a fire." Reno interrupted.

A pause.

"… my locker was stuck because it was on fire?" Reno tried haphazardly.

One punishment of reciting the "I'm Very Sorry Professor" poem later, Reno sat in his desk with Rude next to him and grumbled darkly. "I'm gonna set my locker on fire just to thwart that bastard."

"That would hardly be safe now would it?" A calm voice interrupted Reno's ramblings. A distinctly cool, composed and familiar voice. Feeling an inkling of dread settle on his shoulders, confirmed only by Rude's fist tightening as he stared at who spoke, Reno finally glanced at who sat next to him on his other side and blanched.

"Nice to see you again Reno." Saix remarked with a tiny little smirk playing on his lips.

Without thought, Reno decked him square in the face.

_End chapter 7._


End file.
